Spirited Away Again
by Anabelle9
Summary: "Chihiro! What's the rush? It's a beautiful night!" I looked at the dark, night sky. It was already too late. The boat was coming towards us. And we were trapped in the Spirit World once again. Only this time, my parents weren't pigs. Rated T for some language.
1. Chapter 1: The Surprise

**Chapter 1: The Surprise**

_Beep. Beep. Beep_. My eyes blinked and quickly closed as the bright sun shined through the window into my bedroom. My alarm clock rang at full volume into my ears and I turned it off. I left the warmth of my bed and rubbed my eyes. I walked down the stairs with my bare feet touching the cold, wooden steps. Today was the day. I just knew it.

For months, I had been waiting to hear what colleges I applied to accepted me. There were some I applied to because my father wanted me to try, but there was only one school I had in mind. I wanted to study art, and to be an artist was my greatest dream. It was all I ever did with my spare time. I would paint all day and would fall asleep right at my easel. Art was a passion I had ever since my accidental trip to the Spirit World.

It had been nine years since I last saw the Spirit World. I was only ten at the time, and the life of spirits scarred me for life. I never knew what a spirit's life was like, barely believing in them at all around that age. I never knew I would know someday. It has been nine years since I last saw my friends – my true friends. The ones I left behind, like Lin and Kamajii. And, of course, there was Haku.

Haku had been the one who saved me from Yubaba when there was no one else to. He helped me save my parents, whom Yubaba turned into pigs because of her wretched rules and restrictions of humans and spirits. He was there for me – always. Before I left and returned to my parents, Haku told me we would meet again. I believe in him; I trusted him. And I made him promise. Nine years later, and not a word from him.

Did he remember me, or was I really some child he felt sorry for all those years ago? No, it couldn't be. He loved me and I loved him. But…did he love me the way I did? Did I love him the way I thought I did?

So many questions with no answers. But I managed to coexist in the Human World and live a somewhat normal life. I succeeded in school, made friends, and became very close with my parents. But something held me back from everyone. Something made me feel like I didn't belong. Or someone…

I tried forgetting Haku and pushed him out of my mind. It pained me to think we could ever see each other again. It wasn't possible. The Spirit Gate rarely opened, and the time I went through was pure luck, none of which was supposed to happen. Something made me go through. Someone wanted me to.

I opened the front door of our little, blue house on the corner and opened the mailbox. All I saw were overdue bills my parents hadn't paid for yet. Nothing else. No letters for me. I sighed and returned to my house. Things couldn't have gone worse for me. No Spirit World, no acceptance into college. I slumped myself on the couch and stared at the T.V.

Did they not send the letter? Was the letter lost somewhere in the post office? I wondered if I'd even get into college. My parents would be devastated if I wasn't accepted into the art school I had been dreaming about since I first started drawing.

My first drawings were of Haku, his green eyes dominating the picture. I drew him in his dragon form mostly, but other times I drew only the eyes, staring back in the way I remembered. I kept a sketchbook of everyone: Lin, Kamajii, No-Face, Boh, even Yubaba and Zeniba. They were always hard to tell apart, but I drew Yubaba with a crude facial expression and Zeniba was more compassionate and composed.

I had to keep my mind off college and my future. If I stressed myself with it, I would just feel even worse about it. I found it best to focus on other things, like my friends. My best friend, Emi, and I had a lot in common. We both wanted to take a year off school and wait to go to college. I was starting to wonder if that was a smart idea.

I called Emi and asked if she wanted to go shopping. "Sure!" She said, "I'll drive us."

"Thanks Emi, I need to take my mind off things."

"Like what?" Emi had always wanted to know everything that was going on, especially about me. But she was my best friend, and we never gossiped about each other. She was my best _human _friend.

"I'll tell you there." I replied. We both hung up and I changed out of my pajamas. Soon after the call, I heard a car honking and ran out the door. As I got into the car, she left the house and we arrived at the mall in no time.

"So what was it you want to get your mind off of?" Emi asked me as we entered our first store. I looked at her and sighed. I wanted to get my mind off college, and yet she was bringing it up. I was not in the mood to talk about it, but she would never rest until I told her the full story.

"I'm freaking out about college. I don't think anyone will take me. I've waited almost three months and I haven't heard anything from anyone." She patted my back and comforted me. Emi was a better friend than most. She was always there when I needed her.

"It's okay to be nervous," Emi assured me, "I still haven't got any letters from the colleges I've applied to. I'm sure they're just admiring how wonderful your application is." I laughed. Emi always knew how to brighten the mood. I thanked her for her support. After hours of shopping, we left the mall with our hands full of shopping bags. We got into Emi's car and she turned the radio louder than usual. She loved music more than anything, so we started dancing in the car.

"I love this song!" Emi said and started singing the words very off-pitched. I started laughing and sang the song in the same off-pitched tone. I never sang well, even if my mother told me I sang better than the celebrities on the radio. I knew she was being nice, but I honestly couldn't compare to them. Emi turned her eyes to the radio and increased the volume, and that was when it happened.

"Emi, watch out!" I shrieked. She made a hard left and we crashed into a couple trashcans on the side of the road. Although we weren't hurt, the car was busted up in the front. There was a cut on my left hand, but it would heal.

"What was that thing?" Emi asked me. I opened my door to see what we had hit, praying it wasn't a person. I closed the door and saw a bird with long, beautiful wings lying on the ground. I covered my eyes, assuming the worst. Then, the bird's wings started to move and it's head popped up. It looked directly at me. It stared right into my eyes, and I back at him. The bird was familiar; I knew that bird. Only one bird in the entire universe, both human and spirit, had a head that looked its master.

"Yu-bird…" I whispered. She squawked at me and flew away. Emi exited the car and shook my arm, shocked at what she had just seen, as well as myself.

"Chihiro! What was that? It looked like it had a head! Like, a human's head!" Emi screamed at me. She was in shock, and I had to make her forget. She didn't know about the Spirit World, and I intended to keep it a secret. I looked back at her like she was crazy.

"Come on, Emi, a bird with a _human's _head? Get real." She shrugged and entered the car. I stayed out, unable to comprehend what had just happened. What was Yu-bird doing in the Human World? Was it a message? Was Yubaba looking for me? That was the only reason. Yu-bird only lived in the Spirit World, and she knew the difference between a human and a spirit.

I entered the car and we drove back to my house. I apologized to Emi for the car damages, but she told me it was no big deal. I offered to pay, but she declined. I entered my house as she pulled out of the driveway. After the long day, I just sat on the couch and immediately fell asleep. I couldn't get the thought of Yu-bird out of my mind. I began dreaming about her, like I was supposed to follow her. Was I? Yu-bird squawked at me. Maybe she was telling me something. Only spirits were able to understand animals, and I was no spirit. I never was and never would be. That was another flaw with my feelings for Haku.

Spirit could only be in love with other spirits and vice versa with humans. Everyone hated a human and a spirit, and it wasn't even possible for them to be together. I read a book about it, how humans were punished for falling in love with a spirit. It seemed cruel and unnecessary. Love should be free.

Hours later, my parents walked in and saw me sleeping. My mom touched my shoulder and I woke up immediately. They both had big smiles on their face.

"Chihiro," she started, "Your father and I have a surprise for you." I smiled at the sound of that. Maybe some family time would help to forget about Yu-bird and Haku, now that I had brought them up again. Every day something would remind me of him, so some quality time with my parents was the perfect distraction.

"But first," my dad said, "you need to put this blindfold on." I stared at them in a puzzled way. What was secretive that they had to blindfold me for?

"Trust me Chihiro, it's a special surprise." I smiled and put the blindfold on. They led me to the car and put the seatbelt on me, since I couldn't see it myself. It seemed like a short drive, but I stayed quiet the whole way. When the car stopped, I had to ask.

"Can you please tell me where we are going?" I begged them to tell me. My mom exited the car, unbuckled my seatbelt and escorted me out of the car. I didn't know what it was for. My birthday had been a couple of months ago and they already gave me a gift.

"I'll give you hints along the way." She said. I sniffed the warm, summer air. I was going to miss it in the fall, but enjoyed it while it lasted. We started walking into what I believed was a long hallway. It seemed so familiar, though, even though I couldn't see a thing.

"Remember when we first moved here, Chihiro?" My dad asked me. I nodded. I remembered the first day like it was yesterday, but my parents could barely recall anything. Mostly because they were pigs. That was one memory I would never forget, no matter how hard I tried.

"And do you remember that field we went through, and I thought we should have had a picnic?" I nodded again, confused about why they were bringing this up. Unless...

"Well, today we are making that true." My dad removed the blindfold and I saw everything. The grass, the headstones, and the Aburaya. We were at the entrance of the Spirit World.

**Anabelle ;)**


	2. Chapter 2: Entering the Spirit World

**Hey! I forgot to write something befor eon the first chapter. Well, this is my first fanfic and I hope you really enjoyed the first chapter. Here's chapter 2...Enjoy!**

**Chapter 2: Entering the Spirit World**

"We can't be here!" I yelled and ran to the building. I wasn't happy with their decision to bring me back. Memories flooded my brain, which made me place my hands on my forehead to make them go away. Something screamed in my head saying, "Stay! Don't run back!" I couldn't listen. If, and only if, the Spirit Gate opened, we would be trapped...again. "Let's go!" My parents glanced at me like I was ten years old again.

"Just like when you were ten, Chihiro! You didn't want to come through, remember?" My dad said and laughed. I just stared at them the whole time.

"Chihiro, relax," my mom told me, "We got this whole picnic set up to show you something. Please?" I stared at her, not parting her eyes. I sighed, as if giving in. We walked to a pleasant spot and they placed the blanket down. My mom had a picnic basket and set it on the blanket. My dad went head first. Even after the accident, he still was in love with food, especially meat.

"Akio!" my mom yelled at him and slapped his hands. I chuckled as his face turned red.

"Yuuko," he pleaded, "I haven't eaten in hours! Can't I get first pick?" My mom stared at him. He backed down and she took out the food. She made all my favorites! Kayu, Ramen, Miso soup, and even Gyoza!

"You made all this…for me?" They nodded and smiled at me. I took as much as I could and would not stop myself. _I_ felt like the pig then. My parents, astonishingly, were slow eaters today. Maybe being back here gave them a slight reminder of what happened nine years ago. When I could not eat any more, my parents looked at each other and smiled. I gave them a quizzical look.

"What's going on?" I said. They looked at me and my mom handed me a letter.

"You know how you've always wanted to go to that art school for college? This morning I saw this." The letter was from my art school! "I didn't read; I wanted to wait until we all were together for us to hear the answer." I hurriedly opened it and read the first lines. I was about to burst into tears. Things were turning around in my favor.  
>"No way! I got accepted!" I gave them both a hug. The smile I had would not leave me face. I was too ecstatic. I laid down on the blanket and stared at the clouds. Things were turning out to be better than I expected. Even though I was back, I was not staying. If I saw everyone again, it would make me stay. And if I saw Haku again, it would make me love him even more. Getting into college was the first step in moving on. Though I wouldn't forget the memories, I would just pretend like I had never met him.<p>

"Hey, I remember there used to be a restaurant here! Let's see if it is still open!" My father got up and ran in the direction of the Aburaya, and my mother followed. It took me a while to realize my dad was already halfway to the shop.

"No! Don't go!" I yelled. I got and ran after the two. I couldn't believe they were doing it again. I ran after them, hoping they would not get stuck here again, or else it will be up to me to save them once more. And, as I said before, I was not ready to come back. Surprisingly, my father remembered exactly where it was. The same food was there. I could not believe it was happening again, but I knew how to stop it.

"Mom! Dad!" I yelled. "I think I saw rats up by there!" My parents put down the food. It looked grotesque to them. It was working. They left the food and ran to me, thinking how close they were to getting a disease, or worse. Or worse would have been the answer, because Yubaba surely would have done something.

"I am so glad you caught that, Chihiro!" My mother said. "I think it might be best to go back now. Besides, we don't need to be pigs and eat whatever we see, Akio." I was about to burst into laughter. It was so ironic. But no matter how much I wanted to stay, to see everyone I love, to see Haku once more, I knew that wasn't an option. If I wanted to go back, there was no guarantee I would desire returning to the Human World.

"Oh, wait Chihiro!" My mother shouted and pulled me back. "Look at the sunset! It is so beautiful! We have to stay and watch it finish!" I thought that was fine. It was a beautiful sunset after all. Wait, sunset? I thought. That could only mean one thing when you were in the Spirit World. And we were on the other side of the river…

"Mom! Dad! We have to go!" I yelled. They looked at me with a befuddled look. I grabbed their arms and tried pulling them passed the river.

"Chihiro! What's the rush? It's a beautiful night!" I looked at the dark, night sky. It was already too late. The water was already here. The boat was coming towards us. And we were trapped in the Spirit World once again. Only this time, my parents weren't pigs.

"Um, Yuuko, Chihiro," My dad said, "you see the river, don't you?" We both nodded at him. "And the boat...coming towards us?" Once again, I nodded.

"What is going on?" My mom asked. I grabbed their arms and ran towards the shops. Shadows appeared, just like before. Although this time, I was not scared. I was determined to find someone. Someone I knew. Someone like Kamajii.

"Chihiro! Where are you taking us?" My dad said, "Why do I see ghosts!?"

"I'll explain later! Right now we have to find Kamajii!"  
>"Who?" They asked. I decided it was best to tell them later. We ran pasted shadows. They were so familiar. I was surprised at how my I retained from my last visit. however, my parents had no recollection of their time in the Spirit World. At last we arrived at the bridge. Spirits were crossing and being greeted by the workers. There was no way we were going to get passed them, especially with our human scent.<p>

"Chihiro!" My mom whispered, "What are those things? Where are we?" I looked at her with no expression. I had to be sure they were oblivious to what they were seeing.

"Do you remember anything from the day we came here?" My parents shook their heads, unable to bring back the memory of their times as a pig. In fact, they were more curious as to how I knew what was going on. They had not one remembrance of the Spirit World; nothing was left in their minds, not even being a pig.

"We have to get to the bathhouse, but Yubaba cannot see us, or bad things will happen."

"Yubaba? Who…what will she…What's going on?" I ignored my mother's questions as a spirit came along, one that really needed a bath. It was our only chance.

"Come on! We have to hide by that spirit!" I rushed towards it and my parents hesitated, but seeing me go along, they followed. All the spirits tried not to show offense to the spirit. Then, I saw the Foreman, greeting the reeking spirit. He has more guts than the rest of the workers. As soon as he looked away, my parents and I ran to the small door Haku took me to the last time I was here. It was hard getting my dad through it, though.

"Okay, this is what we have to do," I told them, "we will go down these stairs to Kamajii's boiler room. There, we will ask him what to do." My parents hesitated, but seeing as I knew more than they did about this place, they approved, although were scared by my extensive knowledge of this place they don't remember being at.

The stairs, as I remembered, went to Kamajii's boiler room. It was a long set of stairs, but I was brave. My dad, on the other hand, wasn't. He was slowing us down, and if we didn't get there in time, Yubaba surely would.

"Chihiro," He said, "if you expect me to go down there you're out of your mind!" I looked at harshly.

"Would you rather go down here, or be turned into a pig?" He looked frightened. I sighed. I didn't mean to scare him.

"I'm sorry," I said, "I just didn't want this to happen again." Before my parents could say anything, I continued. "Last time, when you two...were turned into pigs, I was so scared. I had no one to turn to until Haku helped me. But now that we're back I can show you everything you've been missing!" They looked at each other, and then back at me. My mother nodded, and nudged him to follow me. Going down the stairs undetected was hard. My dad kept slowing down because he thought he'd break a step. My mom thought she would fall down and practically fainted. Then, my dad tripped.

"Who broke this step here?" he asked. "I could've died!" I gulped. I remembered that step.

"Um, that was me...about nine years ago. I thought they would have fixed it by now." I tried to shake it off, but my dad just couldn't obtain all of this at once. I found it best to ignore them and continued down. It wasn't too long before we made it to the door. Everything was just as I remembered it to be. I opened the door and we walked in. I looked back at my parents who were utterly confused. If our lives were not at risk, I would have found that amusing.

"Hey, you little soot balls! Back to work!" I heard. I knew that voice, and only one person would say that. Kamajii.

"Kamajii!" I yelled and ran in. I gave the old spider-man an immense hug and he was entirely confused, as were my parents. I thought it was because of my knowing who Kamajii was, but then I realized they had never seen anyone with six arms. He didn't know whether to move me aside and return to work or wait it out to see who I was.

"Chihiro! Who is that?" My mom yelled. She spotted the soot balls and screamed. She ran over to me and was holding my arm. My dad just walked across, trying to miss the soot balls. He was hoping this all was a dream, but to his dismay, none of it was. This was reality.

"Wait, your name is Chihiro?" Kamajii said, "I remember years ago a girl named Chihiro came here. Of course I don't recall she was your age at the time..."

"Kamajii," I stopped him, "That was nine years ago, and that was me! It's Sen!" His eyes grew wide as he remembered the little ten-year-old human girl that wandered into his boiler room. He embraced me again, this time with the knowledge of who I was to him.

"Sen! Your back!" He said, grinning. But his grin slowly faded. "Oh no, this isn't good." I knew precisely what that meant. There was one person I knew who would not be happy with my return.

"Who's Sen? Chihiro, why is he calling you Sen?" My mother said. I gulped. Kamajii knew who they were, even when he never saw them. He knew my parents all too well.

"Ah," he said, "So these are your parents?" I nodded. "The ones who stuffed themselves like pigs? Well, you got what deserved then."  
>"Hey!" My mom yelled. I giggled so no one would notice. Too bad it was very conspicuous. And my mom was not going to take it from me. None of it was a joke to her.<p>

"Chihiro! How is that funny? How is _any_ of what has happened to us funny? We are in the middle of nowhere asking for help by a man with six arms!" Her facial expression looked angrier than before, so I stopped the jokes.

"Look, you may not remember anything, but I do. Nine years ago, that really happened, due to the wickedness of Yubaba."Mentioning her name gave me chills up my spine. I turned to Kamajii to ask the question I had been waiting for. "Speaking of her, do you think she knows we're here?"

"Well, it depends. Seeing that no one has told me a human is here, I would say you're cleared from everyone else. However…" I stared him down to tell me. He was hesitant, and luckily for him, we were soon interrupted. But it wasn't a rude interruption. In fact, I was glad to see this person.

"Kamajii, here's your dinner." That familiar voice. I knew it was her. It was Lin.

"LIN!" I screamed and ran towards her. She was a bit scared and ran to Kamajii. She didn't know how to react to us. She stared at my parents and me, wondering how we were down here.

"Kamajii, who are these people? They smell like…like humans!" Kamajii took his dinner and gave her his bowl from the day before, like he had been doing for the past nine years, I pressumed. Lin was still interesting in knowing why a family of humans were in the boiler room. She couldn't recognize me because I had grown int he years, but she remained the same as always.

"I'll give you a hint," Kamajii said, "That girl who was about to hug you, she's my granddaughter." Lin stared at him like the crazy old man he was. I smiled, remembering that was what he called me.

"Granddaughter? But you don't have a granddaughter. You only said that when Sen was here because…" And her eyes grew wide. "Sen!" She ran towards me and picked me up. It was hard to breathe for a moment, but she put me down.

"Oh Sen, it's really you! What are you doing here? You look so grown up!" She asked, playing around with my long, brown hair, which had grown in the last nine years. It was now down to the lower part of my back. I looked at my Mom and Dad, who just stood there and watched. They were completely befuddled as to everything that had happened since the sunset.

"Ask my parents. They were the ones who insisted on a picnic here." Lin looked at the two people who were evidently mad at their daughter's comment. I didn't mind. It wasn't like they could ground me. I was my own person. I didn't have to listen to them if I wanted to, but they were my parents. I would stick by them as long as I could.

"So, these are the parents who got you stuck here in the first place? Well, I guess it wasn't all bad because I met you!" She continued hugging me and then my parents interrupted. They wanted answers, and they were going to get them.

"Um, Chihiro," My dad said, "I think you have some explaining to do." Lin looked at him and stared him down. I knew it. She was going to show her attitude towards him. Lin was a great friend, but when someone said something to her they shouldn't have, she went full-out bitch to them.

"Oh yeah?" She said with her cool attitude, "if it weren't for you two she wouldn't have become a slave to Yubaba, like the rest of us. If it weren't for you two she wouldn't have almost died multiple times. If it weren't for you two-" I stopped her from yelling at them. As much as they deserved it, she wasn't the one to do it.

"Lin, it's okay, it's not entirely their fault," I said, "It's also mine."  
>"How is ANY of what happened your fault?" Lin yelled. I calmed her down.<p>

"If I had just listened to Haku I wouldn't have gone to Yubaba." I said, "I would've worked here with Kamajii, if he wasn't so stubborn and just gave me a job." I joked. He gave me a paranoid look. I just laughed. He was tradition, only using the soot balls as workers. He never would have given me a job.

"Chihiro," My mom said, "can you just tell us what is going on? Please?" I sighed and we sat down. It was going to be hard to tell them. They were not even going to believe me, but they needed to know. "Nine years ago, when we first moved here, we accidentally entered the Spirit World. You started eating the food meant for the spirits, and…Yubaba punished you by turning you into pigs." My parents didn't say a word. They were taking it well.

"I then met Haku, and he helped me evade Yubaba as long as I could, but I couldn't hide from her forever." I told them all about how Yubaba got me a job, stole my name, and even how I saved the polluted river spirit. I told them of No-Face and what he did to the bathhouse, as well as Zeniba, whom I still call Granny, and how I gave Haku his name back. By the time I was done, they had had enough.

"So," my dad said, "you're saying that when we saw the car all dusty, when the movers had already brought everything in the house, and when we realized a week had gone by we _actually_ lost a week of our lives!" I nodded. It was a lot to comprehend, but it was the truth. We all heard a speaker turn on. _"Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen; I do not want any of you to panic, but we have unwanted guests."_ Yubaba. I'd know that voice anywhere. And she knew we were here. No matter how long she had known, she knew now. _"I would ask these intruders to report to my office, or you could be turned to pigs again. NOW!" _

I looked at Lin, and then Kamajii. We had no choice. Yubaba had been waiting for them. My parents even knew what was going on.

"Is this what you meant by 'however'?" I asked Kamajii. He nodded.

"She could have been spying on you in the Human World. Maybe she sent someone to your world to make sure you'd return." He said. And then it hit me. Yu-bird.

"Yu-bird." I whispered, standing up and pacing, "I saw Yu-bird in the Human World. She was waiting. She knew we were coming!" I said and kicked the wall. The drawers opened and some of the items fell. Kamajii was going to clean that up later. I was angry, and Lin came to reassure me.

"I doubt she'll do anything bad this time. Maybe she'll make you clean the big tub again." I laughed. She was just like Emi. They both were great friends of mine, but Lin was the greatest.

"You remind me of my friend in the human world, Emi. She always can make me laugh." Lin laughed, but her smiled faded.

"Emi?" Lin said.

"Yeah, why?"

"I don't know. Never mind, it doesn't matter." I was confused then. I didn't understand most things she said. I ignored it and was about to cry. She then gave me a comforting hug.

"Where's that tough, dopey girl I knew nine years ago? She's in there and she can take on Yubaba any day." I smiled and thanked her for her support. We were going to have to face Yubaba sooner or later, so we may as well go prepared.

"Okay," I told my parents, "here's what we will do."

**So what did you think? Chihiro has a big surprise coming up for her. Please review and tell me what I can do to make it better!**

**Anabelle ;)**


	3. Chapter 3: The Wrath of Yubaba

**Hi! Thank you all for your reviews! I decided to put it up tonight because of your reviews! So what do you think will happen? What will Yubaba do? **

**Chapter 3: The Wrath of Yubaba**

"I don't think this will work, Chihiro." My mom said to me. She didn't know everything I did when I was here, let alone the things that were almost impossible. She didn't want to believe any of this was true, but to me, everything was a dream. The only thing I had to deal with was Yubaba, and how she would handle my return.

"Trust me," I said, "And when we are finished with Yubaba, when she makes her decision, you may have to call me Sen." They nodded in agreement. They realized how tough Yubaba could be, after the story I told them. We walked out of Kamajii's boiler room accompanied by Lin. She was to lead us to Yubaba's.

"Now, do you remember how to get to the old hag's office?" Lin said. I laughed, remembering the times we would laugh and call her that.

"Yeah, I remember every last detail about this place. So many memories." I hugged Lin and she returned to work, otherwise Yubaba wouldn't need to chat with just us. Without a sound, we slipped quietly around and reached the elevator. As we got in, I pulled the lever. No one was in there except us. If there was, questions would arise and things would shake up. It was a quiet ride up until my mother broke the silence.

"Chihiro," My mom said, "I just want to say how mature you are taking all of this. I certainly wouldn't have done the same as you, and from your story I think you were very responsible then, too." I looked at my mom and almost cried. A lot was at stake at the moment, and her encouraging words pushed me to believe in the best for us. I gave her a hug and whispered, "Thank you."

The door opened. I looked in both directions for anyone. It was clear. We ran to the next elevator that went directly to Yubaba's office. So far, we made it undetected. When we made it to Yubaba's floor, I was anxious. I didn't know how she would react to seeing me again, and more importantly my parents. She would surely remember them, even if they were pigs at the time. But considering what she said, seeing Yubaba was the smart idea. I would rather labor at the bathhouse than live the rest of my life as a pig.

We walked up to the doorknocker. Again, just as my first trip to the see Yubaba, I hesitated to open. The doorknocker looked directly at us and my mom nearly fainted. She should have realized things in the Spirit World were completely different from that in the Human World.

"So you're back again, aren't you? At least you're not as scrawny as you were then." He said to me. I took offense to that.

"Who you calling scrawny! You don't even have a body!" I yelled. But before he could respond, the doors opened. The long hallway was just as I remembered. But this time, she didn't need to drag me in. We walked along until we reached Yubaba's office.

We walked in and just as I thought, Yubaba was sitting at her desk with her giant head, big nose, and her jewels surrounded her. To my surprise, my parents took it well for the first time seeing Yubaba.

"So," she began, "I see your back." She looked up at my parents, and then back at her paperwork. "And I see you dragged in the pigs as well."

"They're different now! They won't eat the food intended for the spirits, I know they won't!" I screamed. Yubaba looked up at me and as she did before, she closed my mouth, literally. I was used to the abuse already. She could have done whatever; I wouldn't run away.

"There, that sounds better now, doesn't it?" She laughed. My mom was freaking out.

"What did you do to her?" She yelled. As my mom went crazy, I was perfectly fine. It was not like I wasn't used to it already. Yubaba used me like a pawn.

"So, I hear you've changed. But I'm guessing you don't remember any of what happened to you?" They both nodded. Yubaba smiled and unzipped my mouth. I was grateful for the chance to speak again.

"Now, if you'll be quiet we won't have a problem." I nodded in agreement. "Now, let's get down to business. Here's your contract, sign whenever." I was shocked. I did not think she would have gone that far so soon. We were in her office for five minutes and she was forcing me to sign a contract. Last time, I had to beg her for a job.

"What makes you think I'm going to sign another contract with you?" I said. She looked back at me and pointed to us. I looked down and saw my feet. They were fading away. And my hands, as well as my parents'.

"Chihiro! What's happening to us?" My dad said. I forgot to mention the disappearing part to them in the story.

"Now, you wouldn't want to fade away on your first day back, now would you?" Yubaba said, laughing to herself again. I had no power over this. I had to do what she said, or else. Nothing could stop what was happening to us except food from the Spirit World.

"Just give me that contract. And feed my parents right now!" I grabbed the pen and paper and knelt on the ground to sign. My mom stopped me before I made what could have been the biggest mistake of my life.

"Chihiro, from your story I know how bad things went. But…what happens if we disappear?" She asked. I gave her a look and replied, "We die." Shocked faces appeared on my parents. They took the food from Yubaba and ate it.

"Now, let me see that contract. Oh, very nice. Here's dinner, Sen." I grabbed the piece of bread and it. It was so good, and I saw we were going back to our normal selves.

"So, you're stealing my name again? I guess it will do…for now." I said. Yubaba knew not to test me. I stared her down. I was going to break out of my contract as I did before. Only this time, I wouldn't need Haku's help.

"I don't care what you think! You gave Haku his name back, and for that you need to make up for lost time!" Yubaba screeched at me, getting up to face, "Let's say, oh nine years worth."

"What! You're going to force us to stay here for nine years just because Haku left his slavery?" I was shocked. That was further than I thought she would have gone. Her next offer was one I would never have gotten out of.

"I guess nine years is too simple for you. Let's say, forever than, shall we?" At that moment my mouth dropped. Yubaba started to laugh and left to the other room. I was unable to think clearly. Forever in the Spirit World? It was not good. It was terrible. The only thing I kept thinking about was seeing Haku. If I saw him, all my feelings would come rushing back and I would give in to my impulses. In the time I would be there, I would just have to forget about Haku. I would have to pretend I never knew him.

"You all can go now, I am sure Lin will help with your sleeping arrangements. Enjoy your new life here, Sen." And just then, all went blank.

**I hope you all enjoyed it! So what will Sen do now? Living in the Spirit World is dangerous for humans. Little hint for next chapter... we see Haku!  
>Please review!<strong>


	4. Chapter 4: Swamp Bottom

**Hello! I bet you all are excited to see Haku! Well, hope you enjoy this one!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Spirited Away.**

**Chapter 4: Swamp Bottom**

It was late in the evening when I returned home. Home was such a strong word, especially to me. I had been going from place to place to find my real home. But for the past nine years, I had been living with Zeniba and No-Face in Swamp Bottom. Zeniba told me she had a way of contacting with Chihiro in the Human World, and that was offer I could not refuse.

The hair tie Zeniba gave Chihiro nine years ago was a way of seeing her. I saw how content she was with her family and friends in the Human World, wishing I had been there to experience it all. But that day, Zeniba told me there was an emergency. She didn't say what, but I knew it had something to do with Chihiro. I did not know what to think of it, but by Zeniba's voice, it sounded serious.

When I entered the small house, No-Face was making tea, as he usually did. Zeniba was sitting at the table, her face looking as if someone she loved was gone. I knew that face. It was the same face she had for a month when Chihiro left to her world. My eyes widen and I grabbed Zeniba by her collar.

"It is Chihiro, I know it! What happened to her?" I yelled. Zeniba calmed me down and I set her back down. My temper was something I could not control, and Zeniba knew it. No-Face poured each of us a warm cup of tea. I needed something to relax me.

"Now Haku, don't be angry when I tell you this," Zeniba said. It was already sounding dreadful. "But I...I could not see Chihiro in the Human World. I believe...she may have gone through to the Spirit World once more, and this time she is not alone." At this my eyes widened. Could she really have been back after all these years? Was I finally going to be able to see her? It had been so long since the last time we had seen one another. I asked Zeniba to continue. I needed to know everything: where she was, who she was with, if she thought about us during the past nine years of her life. I wanted to know if she still cared.

"Well, what I saw was her parents wanting to show her a surprise, and I was happy she was spending time with her family. But then I saw her parents drive to the Spirit World gate entrance. Before they could leave, it was already dark. The river was there and the boat was already coming and it was too late. Nothing in my power could have brought them back."

"Chihiro could be back? After all these years she's back?" My head swiftly turned to Zeniba. There was one flaw with her return. "You said her parents brought her here. Does that mean... her parents…?"

"Yes, and this time, they are not pigs. They actually know what's going on." The door opened. A young, beautiful woman stood in the doorway, looking for Zeniba.

"Hello Mom! I got the medicines you asked for!" I have known this girl for seven years, when she first returned home. She was Zeniba's daughter, Yuki. Unlike her cousin, Boh, she wanted to grow up, and she was a striking young lady. Yuki had the longest, white hair in the Spirit World. Gray eyes stood out over everything, however. Zeniba took the medicines she needed. For some time, Zeniba was trying to work on a certain spell, but she wouldn't tell any of us what it was about. She would send Yuki out every day to buy medicines in the marketplace.

"Oh thank you Yuki. Haku and I were just having a discussion." She said. Yuki looked at her mom and sat down next to her. She was already informed about what happened. Zeniba and Yuki told each other everything. They were the closest a mother and daughter could get.

"Is it about what you saw? About that girl?" She asked. We both nodded.

"We think she and her parents are here, and by how long she has been here, I think…maybe…" She looked at me, not wanting me to hear this. Everything she had told me so far couldn't compare to what she had to say now.

"What! Tell me NOW!" I screamed. Zeniba tried to quiet me down again, noticing my temper rising. I sat back and listened, drinking the tea.

"I think Chihiro has already seen Yubaba, and knowing my sister, she may have forced Chihiro to sign another contract." I was frozen. I couldn't move. I did everything I could to make sure Yubaba would destroy her other contract. And now she got her back. There was nothing I had over Yubaba any longer. Getting her out of that contract would be difficult. I left for the door until Zeniba used her magic to close and lock it.

"And just where do you think you are going, Kohaku?" I turned around with fists. No matter how powerful she was, Zeniba couldn't force me not to help Chihiro.

"Let me out. I have to help Chihiro!" Zeniba walked to me with razor-sharp eyes. Yuki was right behind her. They were both against what I was trying to do. I was trying to help her, and they were helping Yubaba by not letting me go.

"And what do you think you'll do?" Yuki said, "Fly her here? Yubaba will surely know that before you even get here."  
>"I agree with Yuki. You have to think this through. At least take Yuki with you." Zeniba suggested. My eyes widened. That would make things even worse. Chihiro was an open-minded girl, and questions would arise.<p>

"No! If Chihiro saw me with Yuki she would think we were…you know…together or something. I don't know if that's a good idea!" Yuki blushed and Zeniba laughed. Things were already bad, did she have to laugh at my reasons?

"Trust me, when she sees you helping her she won't care that Yuki is assisting you." Zeniba kept laughing and my face turned red. I opened the door, grabbed Yuki's arm and turn into dragon form. I was done listening to her laughter. Zeniba may have been a smart witch, she could never control her laughter.

"Wait!" Zeniba said, calming herself down. She handed us her golden seal for help. "Take this. It will help you locate Chihiro. Wherever the hair tie is, Chihiro is sure to be, and that seal will locate the hair tie." Yuki and I bowed to Zeniba as Yuki took the seal. I was determined to leave Zeniba's cottage before I said anything else she might have laughed at.

"Bye, Mom! We will see you when we get back!" Yuki said. Zeniba just kept laughing at my remark as we took off. I was determined to find Chihiro. I would do anything to see her again. She changed my life for good. If I had never met her, my name would still be a mystery to me, and things would have played out so differently in my life. Having her back was a dream come true, but I knew she belonged in the Human World.

When she first came, I was stunned. Humans rarely came into our world, and seeing one with my own eyes had been a first. I wanted to help her. She looked so scared and helpless, especially with her parents' transformation. I knew Yubaba would make her sign a contract. From the moment I gave her the berry, I knew she would find her. I was only hoping Kamajii would give up his traditional ways and let her work there. But hope never got anyone far in life.

After hours of flying, Yuki decided to break the silence. "Don't stress out, Haku. If anyone can find her it's you. You're the bravest dragon I know, and Chihiro knows it, too." I just kept flying, as if I wasn't paying attention. Technically, I was the only dragon she knew. I had only known her for seven years, but I was sure there was no other dragon in her life. For a while there was peace, not a word said between us. But Yuki could not resist asking one specific question.

"Kohaku," Yuki started. I had never heard her call me that before. Only Zeniba did when she was angry or being formal. "Are you in love with her?" I was frozen. Did I? I had always loved her, but was I in love? I knew it was forbidden for humans and spirits to be in love, but did that stop my feelings but being any less real?

"I guess that's a little too personal, I'm sorry I asked." Yuki said nothing after that, but I knew she wouldn't let it go. I knew her too well. I would have to give her an answer, but first I needed to answer myself. Was I in love with Chihiro?

**So how was that? A bit short but it says alot. SO what will Haku do now? How will he deal with his feelings? And how far will he go to prove them?**

**Please review and I will be sure to update ASAP. **

**Anabelle ;)**


	5. Chapter 5: Back to Work

**Hey everyone! Hope you enjoyed seeing Haku! I really loved writing that chapter. Well, this one has a surprise ending... Enjoy!**

**Chapter 5: Back to Work**

I woke up with a massive headache the next morning. I didn't remember much of how my head was hurting, but everything else was as clear as crystal. I was still dressed in the same clothes from the day before. I was hoping that all of what happened yesterday was a figment of my imagination, but seeing as my parents and Lin were resting in sleeping bags, I knew this was all too real. I climbed out of the sleeping bag and rested my hands on my forehead. The pain hurt so badly. I could not even get up. When I tried, the pain came back, and twice as hard.

"Ahh!" I yelled, waking up my parents and Lin. Lin covered her ears, but my parents immediately got up and rushed to my aid, trying to lend a hand.

"My head hurts," I said, "what happened last night?" Lin got up out of her sleeping bag to get me some water and my parents gave me an extra pillow to rest my head on before beginning.

"After Yubaba told you we were staying here forever," my mom started, "you fainted. I am guessing it was from shock, but then Lin came in. She had a feeling something bad would happen and wanted to help. She offered us to stay here since her roommates had either been turned to pigs or got out of their contracts. Lin is such a kind person, Chihiro." After she said that Lin walked in and gave me the water. I drank it and set the cup aside. I was gald they liked Lin. It took me a while to get over the bad attitude part of Lin to see the kind and thoughtful side.

"Yes, I made some really nice friends, especially Haku…Oh my gosh, Haku! Where is he?" I asked Lin. She gave a sad look. Why did I ask? I couldn't even see him. I must have forgotten one part about yesterday. It didn't matter how much I wanted to see him. I couldn't.

"No one's seen him since you left." She replied, "We figured he got out of his contract with Yubaba and took off somewhere in the Spirit World. No one has seen or heard from him ever since. Although…"

I shot up at her. "What! Although what?" I yelled. My head begun pounding and I laid back down. She gave me a promising look.

"From what I hear, Boh has been visiting Zeniba very often. Ever since he met his aunt he has wanted to see her more and more frequently. I bet Zeniba knows how to find Haku!" I hugged Lin and tried to get out of bed, but my headache came back. I was not going to be able to work that day.

"Oh no, sweetheart," My mom said, "you are not leaving until that heals." I wanted to agree with her, but someone had other plans for me. Before either of us could say another word, Yubaba flew in.

"Well now," she said, "Isn't that sweet. But we have customers today and you need to work!" And just as she came in, she left. It was almost like she had been watching us. She knew my parents and I were here before I told anyone else. She had eyes everywhere.

"Evil witch!" I yelled and threw my shoe at the ceiling. Lin started to giggle and I followed her. Although I felt like a prisoner, it did not seem so lonely with my family and friends. I had my parents, as well as Kamajii and Lin. They would all help through my journey.

"I will be fine, Mom." I said, "Besides, you need to lay low and make sure no one sees you. Just stay here and if you need anything, use this." I undid my ponytail and handed them my purple hair tie. I hadn't thought about how it would help me, but I remembered how the hair tie was connected to me."This hair tie was made here by my friends, and I am connected to it. Just pull it slightly and I will come running up to anything you need."

"Chihiro," My dad whispered, taking the hair tie, "you are doing such a good job. I would never be able to handle this the way you are." I smiled at his comment and gave them each a hug. I had a feeling something bad would happen. Everything bad always happened to the bathhouse when I was there. The polluted river spirit, No-Face, and to Yubaba, losing her apprentice.

"I'll be back tonight, maybe later if Yubaba tells me I have to work the night shift. Which I am guessing she will." They waved good-bye as Lin and I went downstairs to start the day. It would be weird seeing everyone again.

* * *

><p>As Haku was soaring through the air, Yuki found a relaxing spot on his back to fall asleep. They had been searching all night for a girl Yuki did not even know. Who knew if she was a nice person or not. Yuki wasn't sure if the girl was going to harm Haku or not. She did not want Haku to be hurt like she was. Haku kept his mind on finding Chihiro. He had to find her. Thinking about what danger she could have been in was tearing him apart. Then, his worst nightmare came true.<p>

"Haku!" Yuki said, "The golden seal is pointing to…Aunt Yubaba's bathhouse." Haku's eyes widened as he sped towards the bathhouse.

* * *

><p><strong>Chihiro's POV<strong>

Lin was greeted by everyone, who gave me all looks, as if they did not remember me. They knew a human was hired, and figured Lin took in me like they did before. But it seemed as though I had changed a lot in the last nine years. It was only until Aogaeru remembered me.

"Wait a minute," he said, "You look like someone who has been here, and I never forget a face." I nodded, and everyone began whispering. They still were unsure as to who I was. And then it hit him. "Everyone, it's Sen!" When they realized I was back, everyone came rushing towards me, asking me questions and welcoming me. It had been too long since I last saw them.

"It's so good to see you again, Sen!"  
>"My have you grown up!"<p>

"I can't believe you're back!"  
>"Sen! Remember us?"<p>

Seeing everyone again reminded me how much I missed this place. If only Yubaba was not so stubborn I might have actually considered working here again. She just had to have the last laugh. Lin gave us our schedule for the week, and it was regular duties. Nothing involving the big tub. I breathed a sigh of relief. I had a feeling Yubaba would make me work on the big tub, like she did last time. After hours of scrubbing tubs, I thought I deserved a break. On my first day back at work I thought I did a good job. All the tubs were cleaned. But Yubaba had other plans for Lin and me. She was going to make me suffer.

"Lin! Sen! It's your turn to scrub the big tub!" At that moment, I wanted to die. She couldn'y do that. It was cruel and unruly punishment. I rushed up to her, ready to make a scene.

"Are you kidding me? All day I have been working my ass off to make your customers happy! And when I finally get a break you throw us to the big tub?" Yubaba smiled at me with wickedness. She was a truly cruel person. I understood why Granny and her didn't talk that often.

"Too bad. You work for me, remember? Now get to the big tub! You may have some customers!" Yubaba yelled at us. She disappeared after, returning to her office. Lin gave me a sponge and I took it in an irritated way. We went to the big tub. It was just like I remembered: big and disgusting. We started working on scrubbing the inside, which took forever. It was almost like a green stain that would never get washed off. I would hate to have taken a bath in there.

"Ughh," I groaned, "this is going to take all night! I have to check on my parents!" I threw the sponge in the tub and pouted. I felt like I was ten years old, yet again. Lin sympathized with me. She knew how frustrated I got when things didn't go my way. Last time, Yubaba said if I complained she would turn me into a piglet. By that, she meant she would make my life hell.

"Why don't you ask the Foreman for an herbal soap token, just like before? We can hide these stains in no time." I smiled and jumped out of the tub. I ran to the Foreman and asked him for the token. This time, in fact, he gladly gave it to me, instead of last time. I really rubbed off on the employees at the bathhouse.

"Enjoy, Sen!" He said as I ran off with the token. As I got back, Lin was having a hard time getting out of the tub. She fell out and landed on her back. I ran to help her, but like the tough girl she was, Lin acted like nothing happened. I could tell it hurt, though. I insisted she rest, but Lin wanted to get back to work.

"I'm fine." She said, "Let me just get that token in." We went to the picture of a tree and Lin opened the small door. She then hooked the token to the chain and it went to Kamajii. Seconds later, the water shoot appeared, where the water flows down into the tub. I was happy to have remembered so much. It had been so long since I last was in that room, and yet everything looked so familiar, like I had been there the day before.

"Remember how to start it?" Lin asked me. I laughed at the sound of that. Like she didn't know the answer to that.

"There's not one thing I don't remember." I told her as I pulled the rope. The water started pouring out into the tub. It was steaming, which indicated how hot it was. I stayed away from it, making sure I wouldn't fall in.

"I'm surprised you remembered this much. Mostly humans try to forget." Lin told me as we jumped down from the tub. How could I forget? They were my friends and family. I belonged there. Living in the Human World was too hard on me. I knew one day I would be back, but I thought I would stay. However, I could not stay with my parents there. That was why I wanted them to leave after the picnic. I thought that if that was the night the gate opened, I would be able to stay, but without the burden of my parents. They belonged in their world, not mine.

"This place is home to me." I replied, "I would never forget anyone of you." Lin looked as if she were going to tear up. She knew I was talking about her, but also about someone else. She realized my feelings for Haku the minute I mentioned him. I had to see soon. My impulses were racing. Without him, I was nothing. If I couldn't be with him, at least I could have the chance to say goodbye. However, Yubaba had other plans for me that did not involve me and Haku.

"Sen! Lin! You have a customer, and I would be prepared for this one." She told us. I looked at Lin, and then at Yubaba. The stench had already reached the big tub's room, and it was the most grotesque smell ever. It was going to be a long night.

**So...what did you think? I hope you all liked it. So what do you think the customer will be? Please review!**

**Anabelle ;)**


	6. Chapter 6: An Unusual Encounter

**Hey! Sorry I haven't updated lately, but I was a little busy this weekend. Mostly becuase today is my birthday! :) It is soooo exciting! Well, this is my birthday gift to you guys...Chapter 6! Enjoy!**

**Chapter 6: An Unusual Encounter **

**Chihiro's POV**

Lin and I ran with Yubaba to the entrance of the bathhouse. Everyone was staring at a giant, black spirit. It stood at least 20 feet tall. It looked just like the one I helped nine years, only this one was bigger and darker, and I didn't know what its flaw was and how to rid it of the black goo.

"Welcome to our bathhouse," Yubaba said, walking up to the customer. She breathed in one breath and she was about to pass out. I was, too."Sen and Lin will take you to your bath." I looked at him and my eyes grew wider by the second. It was too much to take in. However, according to Yubaba, no one can show offense to the customer, no matter how wretched they smell. It was apart of being in the business.

"Sen, take him to the bath, now." Yubaba demanded. I motioned him to follow me. Lin, the spirit, and I walked all the way to the big tub and I tried my best not to show offense to the customer. Yubaba would surely make my life hell if I did. The water was filled to the top and Lin pulled the rope to stop the water. The spirit looked at me. I was frozen. I couldn't stand the smell any longer. I just wanted him to get into that bath!

The spirit finally got in and washed himself, but nothing came off. The water was covered with the black goo, but the spirit looked the same. He looked at Lin and me. It was exactly the same as last time I was here. I placed my hand in the water and picked up what was covering him. The feeling was familiar, and I remembered it from a science project I did in chemistry. I knew what to do.

"Lin! Get another bath token!" I yelled at her. The spirit was getting angrier by the second. He started pounding the water and it went splashing everywhere. I needed a miracle. I needed Lin to get the token, and fast. I needed Haku. He was the only one who could keep me calm in a situation like this.

"Haku, where are you?" I whispered to myself.

* * *

><p><strong>Haku's POV<strong>

I was soaring through the air at light speed. Chihiro was there, I just knew it. I didn't need the seal. I could feel her there. The seal pointed to a window near the top. It wasn't at the top, so she was not in Yubaba's office. It was Lin's room. Luckily, Chihiro was with her friend and not a stranger. Lin would always be at the bathhouse.

"Haku! We need to go to that room over there!" Yuki yelled. She had a loud voice that punctured my eardrums. I flew towards the window and into the small room Lin had. I transformed back into my human form, only to find out Chihiro wasn't there. Instead, there was a couple sitting in the corner in two sleeping bags. They stared at me and Yuki like we were humans. (To Chihiro's parents, it was like they were spirits).

"Who...Who are you?" The woman asked us. She looked frightened. I saw her holding Chihiro's hair tie. They had a connection. She would not give just anyone a hair tie made in the Spirit World. They were her parents.

"Are you Chihiro's parents?" They both nodded. I looked at Yuki and she knew. Chihiro had already signed a contract, meaning she was under Yubaba's control…again. I placed a hand on my forehead. I was too late. I thought I could have stopped it before she signed.

"Where is Chihiro?" I asked them harshly. They became scared and huddled together. I lightened down so they would not scream. If Yubaba knew I was here, things would not turn out too good. We had unfinished business that I wanted to be left uncompleted.

"Chihiro said she would finish her shift by night. It must be Yubaba making her work late." Her mother said. I thought it was not a big deal. Chihiro had worked there before. She may have been catching up with the other employees. I thought there was no problem. Until I heard it.

"Ahhh! Help me!" It was not Chihiro, nor Lin's. but there was trouble. And Chihiro was sure to be in the middle of it. Chihiro always was.

"I have to go!" I told the couple. The woman grabbed my arm.

"Wait!" She told me, giving me the hair band, "Please bring my daughter back." I nodded. That was my intention, after all. I ran down the stairs and Yuki followed close behind. We ran until we found the source of the voice. It was one of the Yuna that worked at the bathhouse. There was a spirit that I had never seen before. It was dark, almost like a cold black. I feared it was one of the Dark Spirits. I moved in closer, but not too close or Yubaba would surely notice me. It was only a polluted river spirit. At least Chihiro was safe from the Dark Spirits. They were too dangerous, especially to humans.

I looked around for Chihiro. Then, I saw someone run to the girl helping the spirit. She was holding one of the tokens while the other girl was waiting at the tree painting.

"Chihiro! I got the token!" It was Lin. And she said Chihiro. She was running to Chihiro, who was in the middle of everything, just like I had hoped would not be the case. But hope doesn't matter in reality. I learned that a long time ago, when I hoped Chihiro would turn around when I told her not to.

* * *

><p><strong>Chihiro's POV<strong>

"Thanks Lin!" I said. I grabbed the token and opened the little door. I attached it the rope and pulled it. The water shoot came seconds later. I ran up to it. The tub was slimy and the floor was covered with black slime. It seemed almost exactly the same as before with the other river spirit, only this substance was worse than before. I ran up and pulled the lever. The water started falling down on the spirit. It was working. The blackness was coming off. I thought everything would be okay. I was wrong.

* * *

><p><strong>Haku's POV<strong>

Chihiro did it. She was helping the river spirit like she did all those years ago. It was amazing how much she recalled. But then, in that split second, I thought all was lost. The spirit burst out the black slime everywhere, and Chihiro was the first target. The whole bathhouse was covered with it. This spirit was not just polluted, it was polluted with oil. When oil mixed with the medicines that Kamajii puts into the water, the oil starts to spread and destroys anything in its way, disintegrating everything.

The walls first started to collapse. The floor Yuki and I were on did not have any contact with the oil, so we were safe. But Chihiro was not. She was hit by the oil and was now unconscious on the ground. Lin ran to help her, but I knew what I had to do. I was about to go down when Yuki stopped me.

"You know what will happen." She told me. But I had to. I went into my dragon form and flew to the spirit. I looked him straight in the eyes. He was just like me, a river spirit. Only his river was in danger. His river was about to be destroyed forever. I closed my eyes, waiting. Then, my eyes began to glow. They were casting a spell to help the spirit. Blue lights flashed in my eyes and around the room.

"What is going on? Who is that?" I could hear Yubaba's voice. She did not recognize me? My dragon form could not have changed much in the past nine years. Nevertheless, the oil was starting to disappear and Chihiro was freed from it. The spirit looked at me with his red eyes. They were so recognizable. I knew that spirit. He helped me once, a long time ago. Now, it was time I returned the favor.

The spirit was almost saved. I needed Chihiro. She was the only one who could save him. I looked back at the human girl lying on the floor. She was still breathing, and would most likely make it. All she had t do was trust in herself. Lin was by her side, trying to get Chihiro to wake up. She stared at me, realizing who I was.

"Haku!" Lin screamed. I wanted to kill her after she said that. Yubaba knew who I was now. After she said my name, Lin realized what she did. I could not help them anymore. I had to flee. I flew up to the floor where Yuki was. She jumped onto my back and we flew out through the ceiling. I did not realize the hair band fell out of my grasp until we were out of the bathhouse.

* * *

><p><strong>Chihiro's POV<strong>

"I will get you, Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi!" I heard Yubaba yell out a name. His name. Hearing his name forced me to get up. I was Sen. I was strong. No one could bring me down. I realized the spirit was almost freed from the pollution. Oil. I remembered the science project my teacher made us work on in school. He said there were many ways to clean an oil spill, but none apply in the Spirit World. It would take months, even years, to clean it up. That didn't stop me. I was searching for something, anything, that would. And lying on the floor, I saw it. My hair band. But how? I entrusted it with my parents. There were so many questions as to why my purple hair tie was lying on the floor, but I did not wish to questions those things yet.

I had always known that the hair tie had special properties, even magic to humans or non-magical spirits. It was my only chance. I had to use it. I grabbed the hair tie and held it close to my heart. Love was the most powerful thing in the world. I was supposed to think long and hard on the one person I loved with all my heart more than anyone, and the powers would be greater than anyone could imagine.

"Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi," I whispered. That was all it took. Lights of all different colors beamed around, coming from the band. A gust of wind whirled around the polluted spirit. He was changing, being recovered. All of sudden, everything stopped. I slowly opened my eyes to find everything was normal. The walls were standing up, the oil had vanished, and I was staring at a completely new spirit. He was diminutive, being shorter than me by almost a foot. He had short, gray hair. He seemed to be an older kind of had bright red eyes, which I didn't even know was possible. His skin was a scaly blue, looking almost identical to Haku's. It was almost hard to believe that the spirit was bigger before. But I guess he had a bad case of an oil spill.

"You saved me," He whispered, "You brought me back to life. I am fully in your debt. As a reward for helping me, I will honor you with this." He handed me a stone that looked like diamond. It was so elegant; I was not able to remove my eyes from its sight until the spirit continued.

"This is a water stone that I made it out of the water from my river. Keep it hidden. Only the ones you trust may know. It has special properties far greater than any you have ever seen." I was astounded. What power can be greater than love? The spirit turned away from me and headed to Yubaba. I hid the stone in my pocket. It was a rather small object, but the smallest things in life turned out to be the greatest.

He shook Yubaba's hand and said, "You have a wonderful employee with you, and it is very remarkable that she is a human. Due to her kindness, I shall return home and host a ball for my entire kingdom to rejoice my return. The entire bathhouse is invited!" Everyone was jumping and getting very excited. I was nervous. A ball? The closest I had been to going to a ball was my prom, and I hid from my date the entire. I never trusted Emi with setting me up on a blind date after that.

Lin grabbed my arm and we ran upstairs. We ran up until we reached the room. My parents were sitting close to each other, looking depressed. I entered the room and they were delighted to see me. They had to have heard the commotion downstairs, and known that I was in the middle of it. I was always in the middle of everything.

"Darling!" My mother said as she ran to hug me, "We were so worried! We thought something bad happened to you!" I let go and took the stone out of my pocket. Lin looked at it in awe. She wanted to hold it, but didn't get much closer than she was.

"Where did you get that?" She asked me, her eyes not leaving the stone, as mine did before. My parents were quite stunned by it as well. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seem in my life, and obviously they thought so as well.

"It was a gift from the river spirit. I don't know what it does, but seeing as you have seen one before-"

"I have never seen one before! There are very few in this world! Even one that small is worth more than Yubaba will ever have!" Yubaba was very rich, so it had be a rare object. Which meant if Yubaba found out about it, she would do whatever it took to obtain it.

"You have to hide that! If it gets into the wrong hands, who knows what could happen!" Lin told me. I looked at my parents and presented it to them. I trusted them with my life.

"I am entrusting you to care for this stone. No matter what, do _not_ let anyone see it or know about it be except Lin and me." They nodded and my mother practically cried. My dad tried to calm her down. She was always emotional about the smallest things.

"Okay then, let's get ready!" Lin said and grabbed my arm. She pulled me to the closet where the clothes she gave me were. Last time I was too small for almost all of them. Now, I fit into the same size as Lin.

"Get ready for what?" I asked. She looked at me with shock facial expression, like I should have known what was going on on my first day back in the Spirit World.

"Were you not with the spirit when he said _all_ of us were invited to his ball? We are going to make you a dress you will never forget!"

**I loved writing this! It is a pretty long chapter. I kind of wanted to bring a cool part of the movie in, but this time it was an oil spill. How creative am I? LOL SO what did you guys think? What is going to happen at the ball? And I know most of you wantd a nice reunion with Haku and Chihiro now, but I PROMISE, it is coming soon! Not gunna tell you when, but SOON! :) Please review!**

**Anabelle ;)**


	7. Chapter 7: Call of a Dragon

**Hello! I know it has been a while since I last updated, but I had a lot going on. School is so frustrating! Anyway, I think you will all enjoy this chapter, expecially the ending...**

**Chapter 7: Call of a Dragon **

"What? Do I _have_ to go?" I whined. Lin just gave me "Quit Your Whining" look. My mother was jumping excitedly. I was never a social person, and me going to a ball was as social as it got. She had wanted to dress me up and play with my hair and face since the day I was born.

"A ball? Really? Oh Chihiro this is so exciting! You have never been to a ball before!" She said to me. I started to get nervous when she helped Lin get her sowing kit out. Was I really going? A ball meant everyone was going to be dressed up in tuxedos and fancy kimonos, and I had never owned one in my entire life. And a ball meant dancing…with boys. The only boy I wanted to dance with was not there, and never would. I knew from the day I met him there was something special between us. I did not know what at first, but now I know. We were destined to be together, whether it is as friends or even more than that, we were supposed to be connected. The only standing in the way was our worlds.

I hoped one day I would come back. I hoped one day I would look into those green eyes once more, I hoped Haku was not lying to me when he promised we would see each other again. But hope was just a word, a strong, powerful word that got people to believe in things that were not true. Whether it was fate or just a lucky break, something brought me back. It wanted to be there once more. Hope led me there in the first place, and it would lead me until the end. I hoped, in the end, hope will be the key to my happiness, my freedom, my Haku…

"Sen!" Lin said, stopping my daydream, "Stop staring into space and help your mom and me!" I smiled and ran towards them. I knew it was going to be an exciting night, a night I would never forget…

Lin had so many choices! There were so many colors and fabrics to choose from! I wanted to look special. My favorite colors were blue, yellow, and green, but that would have been a strange mix. I decided to go with a simple light blue and white.

"Really?" Lin said, "These are such safe colors! You would look great in something more…colorful." I laughed at the sound of that. My parents knew how old-fashioned I was. I did not want to be the talk of the night.

"I just want a simple kimono that will not draw too much attention." I told her. I did not want to be asked to dance with anyone. No one could replace him. No one.

"Alright, just let me work my magic!" Lin said. I thought she was just saying that, but she was _actually_ using magic! The sewing machine turned on automatically, the silk was moving by itself, and everything seemed to move along smoothly. I did not think she had magic, since she never used any in my prescene.

"My magic allows things to work for me without having to actually do anything!" Lin said.

"Then why do you not use magic to clean the big tub?" I asked her. It would have been so much easier than actually scrubbing the whole thing.

"Yubaba blocks everyone from using magic for help in the bathhouse. Only she can. A little unfair, but she is the boss." Lin replied, "My magic can sew, clean, and cook, but I only use it for personal reasons." I just sat in the corner, watching the sewing machine work its magic and sowed a kimono made for royalty.

"I cannot wear this!" I say. Lin looked at me with a shocked expression. To her, me not wearing that kimono was offensive. To me, wearing that kimono was offensive to royalty, which I was not.

"Are you serious? This is gorgeous!" Lin told me. I gave her the kimono back. "I said an ordinary dress that would not draw attention. This would draw everyone's attention on me!"

"You have to wear that dress," My mother said, "It looks just something you would wear! I remember when you were going to your aunt's wedding; you had the prettiest dress in the room!" I held the dress in my arms. It was so soft and silky. How could I say no to a kimono made by my best friend?

"I guess one time wouldn't hurt." I said in defeat. It was a beautiful kimono, anyway. Lin gave me a giant hug and grabbed the kimono she made for herself. It was just as beautiful as mine, but hers was green with a hint of yellow. Mine was simply blue with a white flower pattern surrounding it.

"We are going to be the hottest girls at the ball!" Lin said. We both were dressed in our newly sown kimonos. Our hair was done by my mother, who used to be a hairstylist before I was born. I guess she did not want to give up the hobby. Make-up was reliable in the Spirit World. Even spirits have to look their best, I thought. As we left the room, my mother wished she had a camera to take our picture. Our hairstyles looked like masterpieces done by a proffessional artist. That reminded me of the acceptance letter I received before we accidentally found our way back to the Spirit World. My life was going to change drastically because my return. It would be up to me to make the decision of returning home or staying in my real home.

"Just be back by midnight, and do not get too excited, and remember you are too young to drink, and-" I gave her a hug to calm her down. My mom was more concerned with my safety than anything else.

"Mom," I started, "this is nothing like the Human World. I doubt they would have drinks, anyway. And besides, there is no one I would dance with but my friends." Lin gave me the "Yeah Right" look. She knew my feelings better than anyone.

"So, if Haku was there…" She said. I gave her the "Be Quiet Or I'll Kill You" look. My mother was too motivated to stop.

"So, I knew you were connected to this Haku person somehow, but this is completely different." My mother started. Then, she went into a rampage of questions. "What does he look like? Is he cute? When can we meet him? How does-" Before she could finish, Lin and I were already out the door. She could not know my feelings for him, not yet. Not unless he returned the favor. If he did not, my heart would be crushed, and hope would no longer exist in my life. However, if they were true, then I would have a bigger problem.

"Why did you not tell your parents about Haku? Everyone knows you two are completely into each other." Lin said. I was pulling her arm and running down the stairs to meet the rest of the bathhouse workers. They all looked so nice. The Yuna were wearing gorgeous kimonos, but none surpassed the beauty of mine and Lin's.

"I do not just think we are 'into' each other, there is...something more than that, something beautiful." The look on my face completely and utterly told Lin my feelings. I was read like a book.

"You're in love!" She said. I covered her mouth so no one would hear. I did not want the bathhouse knowing I was in love with a spirit. It was forbidden.

"Hush up! I don't want anyone to know." I say to her. Lin backed off, for now. Knowing her, she was not going to let this go. But was I truly, sincerely in love with Haku? There must have been something against a human in love with a spirit. Humans and spirits were from two different worlds, and it would break the balance of those worlds. I was almost sure it had never been done before.

"Everyone!" Yubaba screeched, "It is time we all went. Now, we will show our host how respectful and sincere we are. Now, gather around in a circle, and place your right hand forward." I had no idea what she was doing, but I went along. She was chanting a spell, and in an instant, we were at the gate of a palace.

"That spirit Sen was helping was none other than the river spirit Kage," Yubaba said. Everyone was shocked, but I was not. I had never heard of Kage. Nonetheless, he was grateful to me for saving him and his river.

"Follow me to the entrance!" She said and most followed. I walked slowly, wondering if it was going to be a mistake or a night to remember.

* * *

><p><strong>Haku's POV<strong>

I was listening to the entire conversation. Chihiro. She and her parents were talking about me. When Chihiro left hastily because of her mother's questions, I started questioning her reasons. Was it because she had feelings for me? Her return brought up so many questions that should have been buried the day she left. They were brinigng up something that should have been forgotten.

"Hey," I heard a voice calling me. Yuki. She handed me a piece of bread. I held it up to her with a puzzled look.

"Let's just say, Aunt Yubaba 'gave' it to me." We both laughed as we ate our meal. It was the only thing I could have done at a time like that. I let Chihiro down. She needed my help with Kage, and I fled. Yuki saw right through me. She knew it was bothering me.

"It is not your fault you left. Yubaba would have take control of you again, or worse. You did what you could." Yuki was very supportive. She was a great friend. But I knew where she was getting at.

"So," she started, "about Chihiro…" I stopped her where she was.

"I do not know the answer." I told her. I sighed. "I have feelings for her, strong ones. Ones that will last me my entire life. But you know the regulations. Humans and spirits are forbidden to fall in love."

"But do you love her?" Yuki would not stop. She was too persistent.

"I-I don't know. Maybe. I mean, Chihiro is beautiful, she is smart and courageous and everything anyone could ask for! She deserves someone who can take care of her, love her, and spend the rest of their life with her."

"And why not you? You love her, she loves you; it's a perfect match!" I paid no attention to Yuki's words. But she would not stop trying. "You stubborn, brainless little dragon! You see Chihiro and want to help her! You see Chihiro and want her to feel the same way you do! If I were you, wishing I could be with the one I love, I would run as fast as I could to that ball and sweep them off their feet!" Yuki finished and walked away. As hard as it was to admit it, she was right.

* * *

><p><strong>Chihiro's POV<strong>

"Come on, Sen! I love this song!" Lin was pulling my arm, trying to get to the dance floor. I felt like an idiot just standing there watching Lin dance. I started to make my way to the punch bowl, getting out of everyone's way.

"They have punch here?" I asked myself.

"Yes," I heard a voice. It was the Aogaeru. "Everyone here loves punch." I smiled and poured myself a glass.

"So how do you like it, coming back after nine years?" I sipped the punch and set the cup down.

"If Yubaba wasn't a pain in my ass, I would actually like things around here more." I grunted. The angry expression on my face told Aogaeru that I needed to be alone. But Lin took that as a sign to help me.

"Sen, you have to dance. I bet you're an amazing dancer!" Lin told me, "Even though you used to be the biggest klutz when we first met."

"Well, I did take dance lessons for a while; I guess I could try some moves." I replied. Lin was so ecstatic. She grabbed my arm and dragged me onto the dance floor. I was the center of attention. _Thanks Lin, _I thought to myself. The music started playing. It was a song I had never heard before, but I caught up with the beat eventually. I started with a little dance move, just swaying to the music. Once I memorized the beat, I used it to create a dance.

"Wow, she is really good!" I heard so many comments. People liked my dancing! Ultimately, the spirits started joining me, but no one could surpass my moves. They started with the basics while I went into a full-blown hip hop dance. I was spinning and doing twists in the air that no one knew what I was doing. They may have thought it was a strange human dance, which in reality it was. However, they were clapping. The spirits were applauding. Was I really that good? I continued dancing. I was the center of attention again. No one could catch up with my moves. When the song ended, the spirits applauded. I never knew how good I was.

"Sen!" I heard Lin calling my name, "That was… you were…I cannot even describe that! How did you do those twists in the air and…everything!" I laughed at her remarks.

"Please, I was not _that_ good, I just dance the way most humans do. It's called hip hop. You know, Emi would have loved to come here. She can dance better than anyone I know." There was silence for a while. Lin always got that way when I mentioned Emi.

"Why do I get the feeling I know someone whose name is Emi? It's the strangest thing." Lin said. I realized there was something she wanted to remember, but could not. She decided to think about it later. I looked at the time. It was almost midnight. But there was no reason to be home any time soon. I could stay as long as I wanted to. But with no dance partner, it was not much fun.

For most of the ball, I sat in the corner, watching everyone trying to mimic my dancing. They had never seen any dancing like that, and wanted to try it themselves. When a slow song came on, most of the Yuna had someone to dance with. Even Lin had someone to dance with. With six arms, Kamajii was quite the dancer. It may be nothing, but at least Lin had someone who cared about her enough to dance with her.

I could believe that I had been there over a day and Haku had not once tried to find me. Had he been searching already, though? When Kage needed assistance, I heard Yubaba scream his name. Was he there? Why did he not help me, talk to me, or show me he cared? If I didn't know any better I would have thought he wanted to leave, he didn't want to see me. That brought tears to my eyes.

"Sen!" Lin said, rushing to my aid, followed by Kamajii, "Are you okay? What happened?" I shook my head. Nothing was okay with me.

"I know that look," Kamajii said, "she's in love." I looked at him with my tears and nodded. He knew me more than anyone. Well, almost everyone. But he was a good second place.

"I cannot believe I forgot!" Lin said, "Haku was there! In the bathhouse when you were hit! He was trying to help the spirit, and it was entirely my fault. If I didn't give up his identity, Yubaba would have been too clueless to who he was." I could not take it any longer. The thought of Haku was too much for me. It ached my heart to think about him every second of the day.

"I think I'm going to go back to the bathhouse," I said, standing up and walking to the door. "If I can't dance with Haku, I might as well go home." As I turned around, a pair of green eyes stared back at me. Those eyes were never forgotten to me. The compassion in his eyes made me want to burst into tears.

"It can't be," I whisper. But just his touching my hair was enough for me to know.

"It is, and I will never leave you again." I could not resist. I thrust my arms around him. I never wanted to let go.

"Promise?" I said. He smiled at me.

"Promise…"

**I almost cried** **writing this! Happy tears, of course. A beautiful reunion, but next chapter, it may have to be cut short. Thanks for all the reviews I have gotten and I hope for more to come!**

**Anabelle ;)**


	8. Chapter 8: Catching Up

**Hey! So what did you think of that reunion? i loved it. But what happens when Chihiro and Haku catch up? After nine years, there is a lot to talk about. **

**Chapter 8: Catching Up**

I could not let go of him. We were together for what seemed like ages. He was there, finally. After all that time, I was at last in his arms, and neither of us would let go. He tried walking so Yubaba would not see us, but she was nowhere to be found. I could barely move. My legs had become numb, so Haku carried me out. It was so romantic. He ran down the stairs and through the gate. Haku did not need to turn into dragon form to fly. We were in the air, heading towards the bathhouse. I knew he would not be able to stay there long. Yubaba would throw a fit. Or worse.

Haku knew his way around the Spirit World, and said it wouldn't be long before we reached the bathhouse again. It was silent for a while, not a word said between us. He was staring at the sky, whereas my face was buried in his chest. My arms were wrapped around his body as he peacefully flew us through the air. But that was not how my reunion with Haku was going to be like.

"I have missed you," I started, "Not one day went by when I did not think about you. And of course Lin and Kamajii, Boh and Zeniba, even Yubaba crossed my mind." He chuckled at the sound of that. I smiled at him. I remembered his soft laugh. His voice sounded more mature. But the one thing that hadn't changed was his emerald green eyes.

"Every day I wondered if that would be the day you returned, the day we would finally see each other again." We looked at each other with affection. There was something special between us. But I was going to ruin my chance. However, I had to know the truth.

"So here's my question," I asked him, hoping I would not regret asking, "It has been nine years, and I have not heard from you until today. Why is that?" He sighed, as if he knew I would ask him that question.

"It was difficult. I cannot leave the Spirit World under any circumstances. Especially because I…" I was hoping for he would say the three words, but instead, I received, "because I care about you, and, um, spirits and humans are forbidden to have a close connection." I sighed. He didn't. He didn't want to. He was a powerful spirit that can lives for centuries, while I was only human. Maybe it was because he only thought of us as close friends.

We finally made it to the bathhouse. My legs were feeling better and we sat on the roof. The moon was beautiful, and it was surprisingly close. I had never seen a full moon almost at my fingertips.

"So tell me," he started, "is the Spirit World any different from before?" I smiled and laughed.

"Everything seems the same. Lin and Kamajii are still themselves, Yubaba is just as cruel, even the amount of guest troubles are still the same." We both laughed. His laugh. His smile. How I missed him so much. If he did not feel the same way, I would be crushed. My life would never have been the same. I then started blurting out everything. How the day I left, I was never the same. My life was completely different. How I had dreams of everyone, dreams of him. My paintings and drawings. The accident with Yu-bird. The picnic. Yubaba's orders. Kage. Everything came out at once. When I was done, he was taken back.

"Wow," he said, "that is quite a story. You must have been through a lot, I wish I could have been there to help." He pulled me closer to him. It was amazing, having me in his arms again. If only we were meant to be.

* * *

><p><strong>Haku's POV<strong>

I do. I have to. But no one could know. Especially Chihiro. The Spirit World was going to begin to take its toll on her. Love was the most powerful thing in the world, and the most deadly. If Chihiro told me she was in love with me, I would lose her.

I would lose my one true love.

But that was not going to happen. If I bottled up my feelings, she would never know. She would return to the Human World and live a normal life without me. She had to think I did not love her, at all. But that would be the hardest thing I would ever do.

"I cannot take this anymore." Chihiro said. She stood up and looked at me. I grabbed her arm and smiled. That was no help to my cause.

"You can tell me anything," I said, "What troubles you?" Her eyes had no emotion. Did I do something wrong? Was she mad at me for not being there? Or were my assumptions correct? If any of those questions answered yes, I would never forgive myself.

"I cannot do this to myself, I have to go. Leaving now will be best for-" I stopped her. I could not take it any longer. I turned her cheek and before I knew it, her lips were next to mine. We were inches away, and I could not fight my feelings any longer. It seemed like she could not either.

* * *

><p><strong>Chihiro's POV<strong>

It was the most breathtaking event of my life. Haku and me. Me and Haku. Together, at last. He missed me. He cared for me. He loved me. We _were_ meant for each other. We were in love. When it was over, I did not want it to end. It was the most glorious moment that had ever happened to me. His green eyes glistened in the moonlight. I was his. He was mine. Nothing could separate us again.

"You know," I said, about to tell him my deepest secret, "this was actually…my first kiss." Haku looked shocked. I was not. I was not very pretty. All my friends were gorgeous and had boyfriends over the years, while I was stuck in my own world, waiting for that moment. And it was finally here.

"I have never felt affection before," Haku said, "Never once had I told anyone I was in love nor had feelings for someone, but-" He was three words away. _Just say it, just say it._

"Haku!" I heard a sound. As I turned around, there she was. A young, beautiful girl was running our way, waving her hand. Who was she? And why was she calling Haku's name?

* * *

><p><strong>Haku's POV<strong>

Oh no. I knew this would happen. Yuki would come and Chihiro would think less of me. I had to explain everything. Tell her nothing was going on.

"Haku! I am so glad I caught up with you. It is about Chi- Oh, was I interrupting something?" She asked. Haku and I separated from each other, pretending as though nothing had happened.

"Who is this, Haku?" I asked. The sound of my voice did not sound one of someone who was happy to see a girl calling for him. It was going to be messy.

"Um, Chihiro, this is Yuki, Zeniba's daughter." He told me. I was stunned. She had never told me aboutYuki. When Yuki returned home, I was already living my life in the Human World.

"Oh, I never knew Zeniba had a daughter," I said. Yuki smiled at me, and I smiled back.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Yuki." I said. For a while, there was an awkward silence. I was eyeing Yuki and Haku, and he eyed both of us.

"So," Haku said, breaking the silence, "You had something to say, Yuki?" She returned to reality and began what she came here for.

"Oh yes, Chihiro's parents are missing!" She said. I was frozen. My legs became numb, my eyes became weak. What did I just hear? Was it true? My parents were lost somewhere in the Spirit World. And before I knew it, I was falling off the roof.

* * *

><p><strong>Haku's POV<strong>

She was falling. Yuki said her parents were missing. And because of that, Chihiro is now falling to her death. But I will not let that happen. I could not let that happen. I jumped down and flew towards her. She was too close the ground. And then I heard a whistle. A train's whistle. Chihiro was falling and a train would destroy her. I flew faster than I thought I could ever fly, and finally managed to catch her inches before she fell to her doom. The train passed and we were returning to Yuki. If she was going to tell me, did she have to say it in front of Chihiro as well?

I placed Chihiro on the roof and my eyes showed no mercy towards Yuki.

"She could have died!" I screamed. I was losing out of control. Yuki made me so angry.

"I thought she could handle it better! She would need to know that her employer kidnapped her parents sooner or later!" I stopped. Her employer? That was Yubaba. What did Yubaba need with her parents?

"What? Why would Yubaba kidnap her parents?" I asked her. Yuki sighed and sat down. I went to see if Chihiro was okay while she began her story.

"I was watching them, just like you said, making sure nothing bad happened to them. And then Aunt Yubaba came in. She looked almost…happy. Proud of herself. Then she turned her parents into…" She could not say it. She didn't need to. It was like everything was happening all over again.

"What are her parents doing now?" I said slowly. I was right up to her ear. She knew how angry I was, and what anger did to me. I was frightening her.

"They are in the pigpen," Yuki said, practically crying her eyes out, "Aunt Yubaba wants them ready…tonight." I figured she would go far. Yubaba took no prisoners. And the ones she did, never lasted very long.

"Anything else you would like to add?" I said. Chihiro was still knocked unconscious, and it may have been for the best. It would have been hard to hear what Yuki was saying.

"Yes," Yuki continued, "Aunt Yubaba said she would return them if Chihiro gave her something. I do not know what it is, it never came up. Just something that belongs to her or something." Chihiro was starting to wake up. And at a perfect time, too.

* * *

><p><strong>Chihiro's POV<strong>

"What happened?" I asked. Haku and Yuki were staring at me, like something bad happened. Or almost happened. Or did happen.

"What happened!" I screamed. Haku looked down at his shoes and Yuki could not look at either of us.

"You fell," I heard Haku tell me, "When Yuki said your parents were missing, you could not handle it, and fell. I saved you before the train came." I began to stand up when Yuki stopped me.

"You may want to sit down for his." I obeyed her, wondering what could have happened. They began to tell me from the start. How Yuki was sent to watch over my parents, how Yubaba took them, and how she wanting a particular item.

"So, where are my parents?" I asked. Neither one said a word. But I was persistent. I knew one would have to tell me eventually.

"In…in the…" Haku could barely tell me, but I knew. It was just like before. Just like when I was ten. Only this time, I handled it much worse.

"No…no, no, no, no, no! Not again!" I screamed and ran down the roof. I held onto the ledge and made my way to solid ground. On Yubaba's floor.

"Chihiro! Where are you going?" Haku asked. Yuki and he made it to where I was.

"I am giving Yubaba what she wants," I replied.

**Go Chihiro! She has become real tough because of her journey to the Spirit World. I worked all night on this and hope you liked it. So what is it Yubaba wants? And how will Chihiro handle the situation? Review please!  
>Anabelle ;)<strong>


	9. Chapter 9: The Power of Love

**Hi! I know, it has been awhile, but I am sooooo busy with homework and my social life! I hope this one is good, though we don't see much of Chihiro. It brings a whole conflict into the storyline, and something you may not have seen coming. I sure didn't until I started writing it! Hope you all enjoy!**

**Chapter 9: The Power of Love**

**Chihiro's POV**

"Chihiro! Where are you going?" Haku asked. I was frantically climbing down the floor to where Lin's room was. When I reached her floor, Ijumped down and ran for the room. "I know what she wants, and I have to give it to her." I began searching the room. The room did not look any different from when I left. My only hope was that Yubaba was not just using it as a distraction to get rid of my parents, that she already had what she was looking for.

"Can you tell us?" Yuki asked. I was not that fond of Yuki. Something seemed…off about her. I felt she had a secret that no one knew, and may never knew. And I have my suspicions it had something to do with Haku. I was not very happy she was helping him out. (Thanks, Zeniba. Good plan.)

"Remember when you two helped the water spirit, Kage?" They both nodded in agreement. "Well, you did something to him, and for that he showed me kindness." I finally found what I was looking for. The water stone. Yuki and Haku were dumbfounded. Haku was not as surprised as Yuki was.

"A-A real water stone?" Yuki said, gazing her gray eyes on the peculiar item. Haku had seen one before, I could tell by the look in his eye. I was sure he had made one once, before his river was destroyed.

"For reasons unknown, Yubaba wants this. Kage told me to keep it a secret, but secrets do not last here, I've learned." Haku knew what I had to do. And I had to do alone. That meant no help from Haku, and especially none from Yuki.

"I will not let you go alone," He said, "this is too dangerous. Going against Yubaba alone is risky business and-"

"How many times have I done this before? Yubaba knows better than to put me up against another challenge. You stay here…with Yuki…and I can handle the witch." I smiled at him and walk out of the room, ready to face the one who got me wedged in this mess in the first place. Though it hadn't all been bad. I finally was able to see Haku, and now my decision was made.

* * *

><p><strong>Haku's POV<strong>

I watched her smile for as long as I could remember. I knew Yubaba would not try anything too dramatic. She knew I would make sure she would pay. But that didn't mean I could not stop worrying about what would happen to her. I sat on the edge of the balcony. It was like nine years ago, when the train tracks were invisible due to the amount of rain the Spirit World had had. I smiled at the memories we shared.

"Hey," Yuki said in a calming voice, "I can see why you love her so much. She's so strong-willed and caring, and I can see the two of you are too blinded by your love to even notice you two are-"

"Would you please stop talking about it?" I yelled at her. Her face showed disappointment. I did not care what she thought, though. I only cared for me. And Chihiro. However, Yuki was furious at me.

"Well, I am going to say what I need to say," She would not stop. "Whether you like it or not. You two were destined to be together. I do not care what the Spirit World has to say about that. I do not care what anyone thinks about that. If you are in love with her then you tell Chihiro!"

"It is not that simple!" I screamed with fury, "There are too many things at risk, things I care about. Things you would not understand."

"I understand perfectly what is going in," she began, "You don't want to love her, but you do. You think she is human, so bad things will happen because of the way you feel. I am a girl, and like any other girl, we know everything about love."

"But this is different. If I was human or she was spirit, this would not be a problem." I stood up and stared into the night. The stars shone as bright as they could. Every time I saw the stars, I imagined one being as perfect as Chihiro. As peaceful and gentle, beautiful and glorious, and just as bright. But never had any one star been as wonderful as she was.

"I know it has been a long time since you and Chihiro had seen each other," Yuki said, "But now is your chance! Are you really going to let the Spirit World run your life? You live it the way you want to. I know I cannot be with the one I love, but I know he will be happy with someone else, someone who can be with him."

"That is how I feel about Chihiro," I continued, "One day, she will die. I am a spirit with eternal life. It would not be fair to her to risk her life for someone she will never see again. Even on the day she…passes on, she will not remember her visits to the Spirit World. She will be oblivious to everything she has ever known."

"Then why don't you find a way to keep her here, with you?" I looked at Yuki. Could it be done? Is there any possible way to keep Chihiro in my world, our world? The world she had always belonged to? I had heard of one story where a spirit and human were together by transforming her in a spirit, but I had not talk to the couple in hundreds of years. I did not even know where they lived.

"No one has that power," I said in distress, "it is…impossible. Humans are not granted that right. You would have to be worthy of that, and Chihiro has not done much, other than saving my dear friend, Kage." Yuki was silent for some time. But then, as usual, she had unanswered questions.

"I knew you had a connection with the river spirit, but I never asked. How do you know him?" That surprised me.

"It was long ago," I began, getting ready for a long story of my past, "It was when Yubaba first controlled me. I had nowhere to go, so I went to her bathhouse, searching for a place to stay. She gladly took me under her roof, but there was something unusual about her mood. It was then she tricked me into becoming her apprentice, taking my name and using me to do her dirty work."

"Okay, I get that whole story, but what did Kage do?"

"He saved me once," I continued, "I was on my mission to steal the golden seal from your mother," Yuki gave me the "You Were So Stupid To Do That" look. "Which I am truly sorry for. But Kage was watching me. He knew what I had to do, and it was for good intentions. If I did not, Yubaba would never have let Chihiro and her parents leave." Yuki gasped.

"But I thought she wanted you to steal the seal _before_ Chihiro came!" Yuki exclaimed.

"Yes, that is entirely true, but I declined at first. She had little power over me, so there was no point. Then Chihiro came. I tried saving her from Yubaba, but it was too late. And when she realized it was I who helped her along the way, and how much I cared for her, she had leverage over me. She told me Chihiro would never return unless the seal was hers."

"So how does Kage have anything to do with this?" Yuki asked. I hated all these questions, but it was finally time she learned the truth. The truth of my past.

"He was following me to your mother's, and when I had gotten the seal he warned me not to return to Yubaba's. I told him about Chihiro and Yubaba's evil promise, and he completely understood. He had lost someone he loved. She just ran out on him leaving behind only a note saying she was not good enough for him, that she would be an embarrassment to him." Yuki looked as if she were going to pass out or cry. Her eyes began to water and she looked away from me.

"Are you okay?" I asked. She told me to continue, so I did. But I was going to ask her about that when I was finished.

"And so when the paper birds were attacking me, he slowed them down so I could get to Yubaba's. eventually they caught up, but when Chihiro left to return the seal, he appeared in my dreams, telling me he used water from his river to make a water stone, looking exactly like Chihiro's, and that its magic saved me."

"So, by giving you the water stone, he saved your life?" I nodded.

"The stone uses properties of love, and since I showed him love of a brother, he wished to return the favor. I told him I would stop at nothing to find his one true love, even if she did not wish to return." Again, Yuki was having a hard dealing with what I saying. She was confusing me and making me questions her past. Ever since she had moved back in with her mother, the only stories we heard were adventures and tales of her traveling, but I was beginning question if that was all true.

"Even after the note she gave him, he still wants to find her?" She asked.

"He has done so much for me over the years, and now I will find her more than ever." I paused for a moment, and began with my question. "So why were you getting tense when I brought that up?"

"Huh?" Was her reply. I knew she knew something. I knew what she was hiding. Yuki had a secret she was keeping from everyone.

"Tell me," I started, "you know who wrote that letter, don't you?" She looked at me with guilty eyes, but she would not say.

"Yuki, you have to tell me. Kage spends sleepless nights flying around the Spirit World looking for her. That was the reason his river was so polluted. He never was there to take care of it, although it was mostly the humans fault for pollu-" Yuki stood up and ran down the hall, crying. She was going to tell me, and I was not going to lose my chance in finding that girl. Kage deserved her just as much as she deserved him, as much as I desperately wished to be with Chihiro.

"Yuki! Come back! You have to tell me!" I ran after her and when I finally caught up with her, all was revealed. But Kage was going to be thrilled once I told him the truth.

"You want to know the girl who broke his heart? You want to know the girl who was so stupid to give up the greatest man in the whole world? The stupid, careless girl had a troubled life. She left her home to have an adventure, and along the way came love. He was kind and caring, and he so loved her. Kage was too kind and important to everyone he knew that a poor girl like her was humiliation. You want to know the girl? Well, she's standing right in front of you."

**Be honest, who saw that coming? We got another love story! Next chapter, I PROMISE, we will see Yubaba and Chihiro. WHat will happen? What will Yubaba and Chihiro do? And what more secrets lie within the bathhouse? Please review!**

**Anabelle ;)**


	10. Chapter 10: The Water Stone

**Heyy! What did you think of my little surprise last chapter? Well, for now I wanted to get back to Chihiro. So what will Yubaba do now? What secret has she been hiding?**

**Chapter 10: The Water Stone**

**Chihiro's POV**

I smiled at Haku as I left Lin's room. I hoped that would not be the last time I saw those sparkling green eyes. After I left the Spirit World the first time, all I could think about was Haku. He was in my dreams every night. When I first left, I wanted to tell everyone. I wanted to share my experience with the world. But something held me back. Something told me not to. One day I could not hold it in anymore, I was about to spill everything. I did not know if they would believe me, but I wanted them to know. As I was about to tell them the whole story, my mouth was closed. Almost as if someone, or some witch, closed my mouth with magic.

I knew from that day on that my journey was to be kept a secret. No one would know the adventure I had gone on. The only way I could share these memories was through my drawings. I started with small sketches, and soon my art teacher told me I could have a career in art. It was not until I got into the art school of my dreams that I knew I would be seeing him through my artwork. Coming back showed me why I started drawing in the first place.

"Don't worry Haku, I will fix this." I whispered as I ran towards the elevator. I was halfway up. Nothing would stop me from saving my parents. They would not be pigs forever, or else it would be entirely my fault. I held the water stone close to my heart. It had special properties, properties I was going to find out. I had to know.

I finally reached the top floor. The doorknocker was there, and he looked completely pissed off.

"Well, if it isn't the scrawny little 10-year-old I knew. Back again, and only on your second day?" I gave him my "Just Shut Up And Let Me In" look. The door opened and I walked down the hall. What lied beyond that door, I did not know, nor did I want to. But for the sake of my parents, I continued on. I reached Yubaba's office and slowly opened the door. No one was inside, only a small bird with whom I knew like the back of my hand.

"Yu-Bird…" I whispered. She was grooming her wings and stared at me. Heartbreaking eyes stared back. She knew what she did was wrong. I ran up to her and embraced the bird.

"I'm okay, bringing me back was the best thing you have ever done. I do not care that Yubaba is being a pain in my ass, I only care that I am with my family and friends." She flapped her wings together with bliss.

"Well, looks like one problem is resolved," Yubaba said, entering the room. "Sorry to keep you waiting, my son was being a brat again."  
>"Boh!" I yelled, "Oh, I miss him so much. Is he here? Can I see him?"<p>

"You can see him after I get what is mine." I crossed my arms and tapped my foot. I was going to make her wait. I needed to know the things she did before we began bargaining.

"I don't know. I mean, you trapped my parents, turned them into pigs. Why should I give the stone to you? It's very rare, and the magic it holds? Far greater than anything you have." Yubaba's smile faded. She was not enjoying this at all. And that was what made that pleasurable.

"You don't know anything about that stone!" She yelled. I laughed in her face, giving off the impression that I knew everything about the water stone. When in reality, she was correct.

"Really? I've been here before, and I'm back. I know ten times as much as I did then. And I was a smart girl, didn't you think?" She knew she was losing.

"Fine, you can keep the stone. I just hope it's worth losing your parents to breakfast." My eyes widened as her crystal ball glowed. I saw two pigs wandering in a pig pen. My parents. My parents as pigs...again. "Mom, Dad," I could not take it. They meant way more to me than some stone. I had to save them.

"Alright, I will give it to you," I said. Her face beamed with joy. "But only if you tell me what it does." She did not look excited to talk about that s

"You can't do that! I'm the one calling the shots!" She yelled. I stayed very calm, much to her surprise.

"It's not much;" I replied persuasively, "All I want to know is why this stone is so important." She glared at me with her piercingly wicked eyes. Something told me it was going to be a long romantic story, and I was correct.

"It all started with the great river spirit, Takumi," Yubaba began, "he was in love with a mortal, like you. He so desperately wanted to be with her, to see her again. It was exactly how when you came in the first time." I was puzzled. Humans came in before me? There were more people who knew what I knew? I did not think it was possible.

"This girl was gorgeous, I mean really. No one could surpass her beauty. And Takumi saw it. He wanted to be with her, and so he tried to create a stone."

"Like the water stone I have?" I asked, holding it out to show her.

"Yes, although this one was much bigger. But size does not matter with a water stone. It is the properties it contains."

"What properties?" I asked. I was becoming impatient and she saw it. Yubaba, however, was much more irritated by the storytelling.

"He created the stone out of the water from his river. The water was frozen together and formed the stone. It contains properties greater than my own, as you may already know. The most powerful thing that lies in a water stone… is love."

"Love?" I asked. I would have thought it was something bigger, but love was the most powerful thing in the world, in both workds.

"Yes," Yubaba said with an irritated voice, "He used the stone, got his true love, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Anyway, the powers it contains are powers to bring life to; anything to do with nature, but more importantly, anything to do with love."

"So then why do you want it?" I asked.

"This thing is rare! Only master river spirits can create one, even one as small as yours can do more than my own magic! I need that stone!" Yubaba yelled.

"But why? I need an explanation." I said. She looked at me with cold eyes. She was hiding something she did not want me to know. Yubaba laid back in her chair, defeated.

"It's the bathhouse," she finally admitted, "It's going bankrupt. I am about to lose the one thing I actually care about. That stone will give me the money I need to save this place from going under." She desperately needed the stone, and I desperately needed my parents. She needed to save the bayhhouse, and I needed to save my parents.

"Alright," I said, "here's your stone." I threw the stone towards and she caught it, making sure it was safe in her care. "Now give me back my parents!" Yubaba was growing impatient with me, so with a snap of her fingers, I saw my parents, standing by Yubaba's desk. They were on their hands and feet, eating hay straws.

"Mom! Dad!" I ran as fast as I could and gave them a hug. They seemed relieved to be back. I could understand why.

"Chihiro! You have no idea what just happened to us!" My mother said.

"Well, it wouldn't be the first time." I said. I turned to face Yubaba. She snickered as she held that water stone. But I didn;t care about it. In fact, I didn;t deserve that kind of power. It belonged to someone like her.

"Thank you, Yubaba; for everything." She turned around with a shocked expression.

"What are you thanking me for? _I_ turned your idiotic parents into pigs! _I _made you give me the water stone, even after I told you its great power! _I _ am the one who forced you to stay forever! What are you thanking me for?"

I slowly walked up to her and said, "For all of that. I did not care for that stone. That kind of power does not belong to a mortal like me. For turning my parents into pigs, well, I had the courage to face it and challenge you. And above all, I am more than happy that we are here. I never wanted to leave, and I never will." Yubaba's mouth dropped.

"Bu-I, you- what? Really?" She asked, "No one has…ever thanked me for anything. At least, I do not remember the last time."  
>"Well, I am thanking you now, and I did nine years ago." I walked out with my parents behind me. If I was not too deep in my conversation with Yubaba, I would have notice my parents glance at each other when I said I wanted to stay forever.<p>

**So what did you think? I didn't want to make Yubaba look entirely evil, because she's not. But that's not all. What was with that glance Chihiro's parents made? What will it do to Chihiro" And how far will she go to get her way? Please review!**

**Anabelle ;)**


	11. Chapter 11: What Love Did to Them

**Hi! Okay, this chapter is really short, but it says alot. For all of you that had questions on last chapter, they are about to be answered. Chapter 11...I think the title speaks for itself. :D**

**Chapter 11: What Love Did to Them**

"What?" I said in shock. It was Yuki all along. I had lived with her for almost seven years and not once did I suspect the one Kage had been looking for to be her. She didn't come off as someone who would be embarrassed by her backgrund. Her mother was the most well-known witch in the Spirit World. There had to have been some pride in that.

"You heard me. I'm the one Kage is looking for. I was the one who acted like an idiot. But…I could not love him. Everyone in the Spirit World loved him, admired him even! And then I just show up out of blue. I was an embarrassment. I heard everyone talking about it. They were talking about me behind my back, saying how I was not good enough, how I was a joke."

"So is that why you left? Because of what others thought of you?" I asked. She could not even look me in the eye.

"I was an embarrassment. I still am. To my mother, to you, and to Kage." Yuki began bursting into tears, and I was there to comfort her. I embraced her, trying to make her feel better. What she thought didn't involve what she thought of her mother, it involved what she thought of herself. "The night I left, I wrote him a letter, telling him what I heard and I felt. But why? What possessed me to leave him?"

"I think you felt like those people were right," I began, "you thought you were a disappointment to Kage. But he saw the real you, he loves you, and he has never felt anything like that for anyone but you, Yuki." She wiped a tear from her cheek, not looking at me. "He really…loves me? After all these years, he never stopped?" I nodded. I helped her stand up and she gave me a hug.

"He knows you still love him, and he never stopped loving you." She looked me in the eye this time and said, "Thank you very much, Haku. I could not have asked for a better friend than you." But if he was paying attention to his surroundings, he would have noticed a distraught young girl, running away and crying. And about to make the biggest mistake of her life.

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><p><strong>Chihiro 's POV<strong>

"Oh, Chihiro, I do not know what we would have done without you." My mother hugged me, but my father looked nervous. Almost like he was scared. Ever since I can remember, my dad was scared of nothing. He had always saved me when I was scared or in danger. What could frightened him now?

"Dad, are you okay? You seem tense." He looked at me with wide eyes. He was trying to hide something from me.

"Nothing! I mean, it's nothing, I'm okay." He told me, but I wasn't going to be fooled that easily. I had a somewhat of a super power where I could tell when someone was lying.

"You know I can tell when someone is lying, Dad. Tell me what is wrong." I stared at him with cold eyes. He looked at my mom, who shook her head. Both of my parents? I was flabbergasted. What could they be hiding from me, their only daughter?

"Both of you? What is so important you don't want me to know?" My dad tried staying strong, but I had my ways in making him talk. I gave him the sad daughter look, making him believe if I didn't know the answer, I would cry.

"Akio…" My mother said. He looked at her with fear. Fear of what, though?

"I have to Yuuko. She is going to find out eventually." My dad looked as if he were about to regret what he was about to say. I hoped that was not the case. Hope. That one, strong word again. It failed me once more. "The reason Yubaba held us captive…was because we were planning something. An escape, actually. After you left for the ball, your mother and I came up with a plan to get us all out of here, to go home."

"This is my home," I said quickly, "I don't want to leave."

"We know that now, honey," My mom said, "but you have a life in the real world. You have friends, family, and what about college? What about your dreams to become an artist?"

"I have family here," is aid, "and this has been my dream. To return home is what I waited nine years for. I am not just going to give that up. This is my life."

"But sweetie, this place…we do not fit in. What will happen when you want to get married, have children of your own?"

"I-I" How was I going to tell them I was in love with Haku? Did I really just say that?" I did. I had come clean to myself. I was in love with him. I had to make sure they knew it, too. "I love someone already." This brought shock to my parents.

"You mean that man Lin was talking about earlier? What was his name? Haku? Oh Chihiro, he's a spirit. And how do you know he loves you back?"  
>"Because of the kiss!" I screamed. I covered my mouth, hoping I had not said what I did. They were utterly silent. They did not know we kissed. Oh, how my dad was furious with me, but it looked at though he was even more furious with Haku.<p>

"You WHAT!" He screamed, "We don't even know this man!"

"But I do! I know everything about him! He has the most gorgeous green eyes. He cares about me and would do anything to protect the ones he loves. He has had a rough past, but I was there to help him through it! I changed his heart. He used to be cold and lonely, but now he;s sweet and kind. And I love him!" Neither my mom nor dad had seen this side of me. I never had either. But they forced it out.

"Chihiro, please, there is no guarantee he loves you back. I mean it has been-"

"I don't care! That's not the point! I don't care if he loves me or not. I love him, so I'm staying. If you cannot accept this, then have a nice life back where you two belong, not me." I ran away, crying my eyes out. I did not want to be with them right now. I just had to be with Haku.

**So what will Chihiro do? Where will she go? What will happen? I know, more questions arised than answered, but this will all be solved soon. Hoped you liked it! I loveeeee writing this! When I get reviews I see how much you like reading it! Please review!**

**Anabelle ;)**


	12. Chapter 12: Chihiro's Catch22

**Hello! Well, this is Chapter 12, and I think you will really like it. I hope. This will bring a whole new conflict. Sorry about that, but I watch soap operas, and they ALWAYS continue their stories forever and ever and ever... So yeah. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 12: Chihiro's Catch-22  
><strong>

**Haku's POV**

"Chihiro, wait!" I heard a woman's voice. I turned a corner and got a closer look, and I saw Yuuko, Chihiro's mother. She was panicking. I didn't see Chihiro with them, which was odd because she was the one who was supposed to be saving them.

"Yuuko! It's no use, she's gone. Let's just give her some time to think." That was her father. He placed a hand on her shoulder, reassuring her. Something did not seem right. I stopped them in the hallway, and I received an uncouth look from her father. He was mad. At me.

"Oh, so you're Haku!" He screamed in an angry tone, "You think that just because my daughter comes back here that you-" Yuuko stopped him. All I could think about what I did to piss him off. I hadn't done anything wrong to him. But he said Chihiro...

"We are just worried about Chihiro, that's all. Did you see where she went?" I was still dumbfounded to see them back. I thought Yubaba turned them into pigs.

"I-I thought she was saving you two from Yubaba." I replied. Akio still looked like he wanted to murder me. I didn't even know what I did wrong. Unless Chihiro told them...

"She did, but when we told her our plan to escape and return home, she ran off and…" The rest of her words were unknown to me. They wanted to leave? Why? And Chihiro ran away? That was why they running and calling for her. It was not turning out to be a good day.

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><p><strong>Chihiro's POV<strong>

I ran. I would not stop until I was out of their sight. They wanted me to leave the one place I called home. How could they have done that to me? I told them I loved Haku and they still said no. Who were they to tell me what I could and could do? I was nineteen years old. They did not own me. I made it to the bridge outside. That place had so many memories. It was where I first met Haku. He took me in and saved me. I saved my parents on this bridge. No matter how much I hated them at that moment, I will never regret that. I just wished they understood me more. Even my mother didn't.

"Looks like someone is having a rough night." I turned around in shock. I thought I was the only one here. Instead, a black dragon, at least twenty feet tall, with glowing red eyes stood behind me. Her scales were all distinctive, every one of them. Her ears were larger than my body. Who was that?

"Um, who...who are you?" I asked, trying hard not to show fear. But looking at that beast? It was hard not to.

"Do not worry, Chihiro," The dragon said. It knows my name? "I am Kawazoe, a dragon spirit." She transformed into a beautiful woman, just about my age, maybe a little older. But she had raven black hair, the color of her dragon form.

"Well, if by 'rough day' you mean cleaning an oil-filled spirit, saving my parents from an evil sorcerer, and then having them try to control your life, then you are right about that." I sighed and stared at the train arriving at the station. If only Lin and I could take that train and leave, just like she said she would. I could live with Zeniba and No-Face. Surely they would take me in. And Haku? I woudl freely see him whenever I pleased.

"What if told you I know how to change everything? I could change your parents' mind, and you could be free to stay here." That got my attention.

"How? You would have to be the most powerful spirit in the Spirit World." I asked.

"Back where I came from," Kawazoe began, "there is a powerful spirit named Master Kazuma. He can do anything. He can grant any wish form anyone, even a human." I did not know what to do. Go with Kawazoe to see Kazuma and be with Haku forever, or stay and let my parents run my life for eternity.

* * *

><p><strong>Haku's POV<strong>

"Maybe she is outside on the bridge!" I yelled. Yuki, Akio, Yuuko, and I were running through the bathhouse to find Chihiro. If anything happened to her, I would never forgive myself. And if I let her down, Akio would surely make me regret it for the rest of my existence.

"What makes you so sure?" Akio asked. I was still on his bad side, and I wasn't entirely sure why. I was beginning to think Chihiro told them about the kiss. That would piss off any dad, especially since they didn't even know me.

"She loves the bridge. When she was here before, Chihiro would always go there." I said, "And it's where we first met." Akio looked at me with stern eyes. Chihiro had a very protective father.  
>"Well, for her sake, I hope you're right." He said. Oh, if Chihiro and I were together, we would get an earful from Akio. If only the Spirit World would allow such a thing. I knew if it wasn't a problem, the worlds would be out of balance. A spirit cannot be in the Human World for longer than a certain amount of time, depending on their power. And a human...if Chihiro and her parents were in the Spirit World longer than a couple weeks, things would change between them. They would begin to forget things, and they would become sick, something small like the common cold or a fever. Then, after a month, the Spirit World would reject them altogether. I did not want to see that happen to my Chihiro.<p>

Which was another reason why we could not be together. The other was a little more complicated; if Chihiro ever spoke the words that meant she was in love with a spirit, she would suffer. The Spirit World had ways of making things stay in balance. I was not going to let that happen. And me kissing her was no help to that cause. We finally made it to the bridge. No one was in sight. I ran to the center of bridge. There was a small, black scale on the ground. The slimy coat had an odd familiar feel to me. I knew who it belonged to.

"Haku, look!" I turned around to see what Yuki was looking at. In the air was a dragon, the exact color of the scale. and on its back was her. My Chihiro.

"Is Chihiro on that?" Akio asked. I nodded.

"I know that dragon. It's Kawazoe, the demon spirit." I said. Yuki gasped. She knew what a demon spirit was. Yuuko and Akio didn't, but they knew what a demon was. My mind was racing. What had made Chihiro go off with a stranger. She had only been in the Spirit for one day, and was already leaving the safe haven of the bathhouse. Chihiro had only ever been to the bathhouse, the train, and Zeniba's. She had never gone anywhere that she knew she shouldn't have.

"Why would my little girl go with a demon spirit? From what I see, it looks like she is enjoying herself!"

"Kawazoe is one of the Dark Spirits. I feared Kage was one at first, until I realized who he was. Kawazoe is a master at tricking people. I feared the Dark Spirits would come after Chihiro."

"How would you have known?" Yuki asked.

"Because they know how important she is to us. They want something, and leverage is how they will get it. Yuki, get on!" I transformed into my dragon form, my light blue scales covering the flesh of my human form. Yuki climbed onto my back, holding tightly to my ivory horns. As I was about to start my flight, Yuuko stopped me.

"Please, bring my daughter back safely." She whispered. Yuki nodded for me and we set off. That was my intention, after all.

* * *

><p><strong>Chihiro's POV<strong>

Kawazoe was so kind. She was like Lin and Emi. She took me under her wing so I could get what I wanted. My parents were wrong. They didn't know what I wanted, what I knew was best for me. I could stay in the Spirit World. No one could me what I could and couldn't do. I made my own decisions, and I followed my own path.

"So who is this spirit? What is he like?" I asked, lying down on the dragon's back. The sky was lighting up. The sun was just coming up over the moutains, giving off its rays of life. They made me feel safe. I felt safe knowing Kawazoe and her master were with me, knowing they understood my feelings.

"Master Kazuma is one powerful spirit. He is very brave. Kazuma can do anything with his magic." She paused for a moment. "I do not know what he will say about me bringing you to him. He does not know you are coming, and dislikes uninvited guests, especially a human." I crossed my arms at the sound of that. Spirits always have hated humans, but I never saw the reason to. Not every human had a cold heart. I was, in fact, more like a spirit than a human.

"Someone is very judgmental," I replied, "who cares if I am human." I stared into the sky. It was so beautiful. The rays shone brightly, showing off around in the sky. They gave life to the worlds, and humans were too preoccupied with their daily life to notice the beauty of the earth. It seemed so strange that both worlds saw the stars, the moon, and the sun. Humans take advantage of these gifts. The spirits cared for nature a hundred times more than humans. They had a special connection with nature. I loved nature just as much as they did.

It was so hard to believe that even though we shared so much with the Spirit World, not many believed of its existence. It was so hard to believe Haku and I never saw each other for nine years. However, there was that one time at the river. When I was fifteen, my parents took me on a hiking trip. My mother was a fast climber, but it took my dad some time. As we set a campfire, I found a small river. It was so clean and pure. I felt there was something about it I was just in love with. I knew the river belonged to someone. A spirit. Haku. I had returned to the Kohaku River. For some reason, the river flowed out from there to under the apartments.

"Haku?" I whispered. I felt his presence. He was close to me. I could feel the river like it was own. I was connected to Haku in ways no one could understand. Not even parents understood. They had told me before spirits didn't exist, but I only played along. I knew the Spirit World was mine and mine only.

"Chihiro?" I heard a soft voice whisper my name. A teardrop appeared from my eyes and fell into his river. I looked everywhere for him, but he was only there through the river. My feet were being tangled by the water. He was trying to find me. Haku tried to tell me something, but nothing came out. He was inaudible, or I was unable to hear his voice, his beautifully safe voice. I would have stayed longer, but my mother called me, saying I would drown in that river like before. I never knew what he wanted to say.

"Kawazoe," I said, "will Master Kazuma…like me?"

"Trust me, Chihiro; he will enjoy your presence."

* * *

><p><strong>Yuki's POV<strong>

Haku was flying fast. He would not give up on Chihiro. He was fighting with his feelings, wondering whether to take his chances or play it safe. He did not want to lose her. Just like how Kage never wanted to lose me. I never thought how our problems where similar. The damsel in distress is missing, and the knight in shining armor comes to the rescue. If only I had not left, then I would have been with Kage for the rest of my life. He had a big heart, bigger than anyone I had ever known. He must look different now. When I first met Kage, he was at least half a foot taller than me. When I saw him at Aunt Yubaba's bathhouse, he was even shorter than Chihiro.

I remembered the last few days perfectly. Kage was away on a mission, and he allowed me to stay in the fortress. I had only met him a few months before that, and we were already changing our relationship. I walking into the town he lived near. Everyone knew who he was, and thye praised him for guarding them whenever demon spirits came. He was their savior.

I wanted to surprise him with a romantic candlelight dinner for when he returned home from traveling, and I needed the fresh air. I was entering the library because I had finished my shopping and was in need of a new book to read. That was when I heard them, talking about me. Two girls walking passed the library. Kage didn't show me around the town, so they didn't know who I was. They only saw me the first I arrived.

"Have you seen that girl that Kage took in?" One said.

"Yes, she looks like a peasant girl to me. No one knows where she's even from."

"I heard that Kage is even in love with her, that when he returns he is going to marry her! It just seems so wrong. He should marry someone who has potential and can live up to his expectations." I was staggered. Did the spirits actually believe that? I was an embarrassment, I thought. I was embarrassed for him. I was never able to live up to my mother's status, so I ran away from home. Finding Kage had been the greatest thing that had ever happened to me. But that moment, I felt like it was all a big mistake.

I ran back to his fortress. Kage was away and would not return home for days. I had to leave, return home and ask my mother to take me back in. I thought he only loved me because he felt sorry for me. I grabbed an ink pen and paper and wrote:

**Dear Kage, **

**I cannot stay. You have been so generous and kind to me, and I thank you for that. But I do not belong here. You are a powerful river spirit and I am nothing compared to you. You deserve someone better than me, someone with potential. I will always love you, but we were not meant to be together.**

** Love, Yuki**

It was the hardest thing I ever had to do. But I did not have to. I was forced to by my deranged mind, believing in what others think of me. That was the moment I regretted most. I never wanted to leave. It was those stupid girls. It was them that made me leave.

"Haku," I said, "You lied to Chihiro's parents. I know you did. Ever spirit knows what the Dark Spirits are after. You know they are just using her to get to you? They want you to be the one to…kill her."

**CRAZY ENDING! If anything is confusing, just ask me. But now we know the story behind Yuki and Kage! How will they come together? How will Haku and Chihiro come together? What do the Dark Spirits want with Chihiro, and why do they want her dead? Please review**

**Anabelle ;)**


	13. Chapter 13: Names

**Hi! I was soo excited to put the next one up thanks to my friends who have been reading it! I love them so much. They encourage me to keep going! Thanks guys! Now, this one has NOTHING to do with Chihiro. She is mentioned, but she's not here. Sorry! But there will be something that'll really surprise you...**

**Chapter 13: Names**

"I know that," I said as I transformed back into my human form. We found a forest to rest in for a while. "But how was I going to tell Chihiro's parents she has a chance of dying? And if I do not go, they will kill her themselves." We had been flying throughout the entire night. The sun was just rising, and it shined through the clouds above. By now, Chihiro would be there, and she would know what they were planning.

"Kage tried to stop the Dark Spirits once," Yuki said, "he tried to eliminate them, to rid the Spirit World of their wickedness. That was when I left, before he returned home." I looked down at her. She was close to tears and I knew what had to be done.

"Come on, we need to continue moving. I transformed back and Yuki grabbed hold of my horns. I sped through the trees as I lifted us into the air. If I went straight, I would be at the Dark Spirits Fortress by nightfall. If I went west, I would have a greater chance of saving her, and changing the lives of many.

* * *

><p>"So what happens next?"<br>"Yeah, don't stop there!"  
>"What about Chihiro and Kawazoe? What happens to them?"<br>"What about Lin and Kamajii? Do they fall in love?"  
>"Whoa there," I said, "Let's not get ahead of ourselves here. I say we go back to Lin and Kamajii's story…"<p>

* * *

><p>"Oh, where are they?" I asked myself the same questions for hours. After the ball, Kamajii returned back to the boiler. He was quite the dancer. I never knew how such a lazy spirit could dance the way he did.<p>

I went back to my room, only to find no one there. Yuuko and Akio were supposed to be hiding from everyone else, though I didn't know why. Everyone would welcome Sen's parents as they did for her.

When Yuuko and Akio finally arrived, I started questioning them. They said they were looking for Chihiro (I still am not used to calling her that) and that she just ran off. When Yuuko said Haku was looking for her, Akio seemed to get this angry emotion.

"Oh, I wish she were here." Yuuko said, "At least Haku is out there looking for her. I know he will find her." Akio's face turned red with anger. He looked like Yubaba on a bad day. Which was everyday…except today. She seemed to be in a good mood.

"Don't worry," I said in a comforting way, "Haku is the fastest dragon I know. Well, I don't really know that many dragons. But I know Haku, and h will stop at nothing to find Se- I mean, Chihiro."

"And that's what worries me." Akio said. Now I knew what it was. It had something to do with Sen and Haku.

"Okay Akio, do you have something against Haku?"I asked.

"That low-life kissed my daughter!" He screamed. He was furious, but I was clapping and smiling.

"Really? I've waited _forever_ for them to get together!"

"Well I haven't!" He said, "Chihiro has never had a boyfriend, and I thought it was because she didn't want to have any relationship until she was older. But now I know it was because of this man. Her friend, Emi, had so many relationships in high school, and-"

"Ahh!" I screamed and kicked the wall, as Sen did when she first came back. "Why do I still have the feeling I know this Emi person?"

"Well," Yuuko said, "I doubt you've seen Chihiro's friend, so maybe it was a family member? Or a friend?"

"It has to be. No one at the bathhouse has that name." And then, an idea formed. "I-I'm going to go to work now. I'll be gone until closing. Bye!" I ran out of the room. I entered Kamajii's boiler room. He was still asleep after last night. Everyone started to leave a few hours after Sen left.

"Kamajii!" I yelled, waking him from his slumber. He fell onto the ground, and I ran to lend a hand.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

"Yeah," Kamajii replied, "I'm getting too old for this job."

"Spirits don't get old, Kamajii. You of all people should know that."

"Doesn't mean I don't feel old," Kamajii said. He stood up and walked back to his post. "So, what's so important you just had to wake me up?"

"I think I know my real name!" I said.

* * *

><p>"No way!"<p>

"Oh, that's so sweet! But…that is her name, right?"

"Well, if you'd stopped interrupting, I could tell you." I said jokingly. They all became quiet. "Now, as I was saying, Lin told Kamajii she thought she remembered her name…"

* * *

><p>He looked at me with confused eyes. "Lin," he said, "it's been what, three hundred years? How does your name just suddenly come back to you? I lost mine well over a thousand years ago."<p>

"Sen! She got me thinking of her friend in the Human World. I think her friend's name is mine!" Kamajii tapped his fingers on his chin. Was I right? I had to be. I could finally get out of this place.

"Well, only one person knows your real name, and that's Yubaba. So, if I were you, I would go to her office. Sneak in when she's not there, and try to get out before she comes back." I thanked him and ran to my best friend in the bathhouse, Konno.

"You really think you found it out?" Konno asked me. I nodded and she smiled.

"Well, then I guess it's time to break into the boss's office!" She seemed please to do that. I think everyone would be.

Konno and I took the elevator up to the top floor. Yubaba was just about to leave her office. She turned to the doorknocker and whispered something to him. We exited the elevator door and hid behind a curtain. Yubaba took the elevator down, which was very unusual.

"Come on, before she gets back." I commanded. Konno stopped me.

"What about the doorknocker?" She asked. I smiled at her and she smiled back. With a wave of her hand, the doorknocker disappeared.

"He's going to come back, right?" I asked. She nodded, but I did not know if she was certain. We ran through the door and down the long hallway. Yubaba's office looked the same it did when I first came here. Not much changes in three hundred years, does it?

"Now, we have to find her contracts. She may have taken your name off it, but it has to say it somewhere on there." We searched in all her drawers, but found nothing. It wasn't until Konno found a secret handle on the side of her desk.

"Push it!" I said. She pushed it and a drawer pulled out from under the desk. In it were stacks of paper. Papers that had been signed by ever employee here. Konno and I searched through to find the one I needed.

"I found it!" Konno said. I rushed and read.

"I will work under Yubaba's workforce, blah, blah, blah, no disobeying the rules, blah, blah, blah, signed Emi! Oh my gosh! It's true!" I screamed. Konno gave me a big hug.

"Here's mine! I remember! My name is Matsuo!" Konno screamed.

"Well, congratulations, Emi and Matsuo."

**So...what did you think? I added another POV. I'm so smart! You may understand know, you may not. But this storyline is VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY important. You'll see in the end. But isn't it seet? Lin found her her name! ANd who is that mystery person who walked in? I'm guessing you all know, but it makes the story better by not saying who it is. Hope for more reviews to come!**

**Anabelle ;)**


	14. Chapter 14: Change of Heart

**Hey! So this is the next chapter, obviously, haha and I hope you all like it. The ending...well, you'll just have to see for yourself! Here you go!**

**Chapter 14: Change of Heart**

"Yu-Yubaba?" We were caught. Yubaba was going to kill us. She would send us to the pigpen, or she would turn us into a lump of coal. Whatever the case was, it was not going to be good.

"You broke into _my_ office, stole _my_ files, and tried to find a way to quit your jobs when this place is going _bankrupt_?" She said. We all knew what was happening. This place was going under, people were being sent to the pigpen just so she would not have to pay them, and I knew we were next. As I bowed my head in defeat, the crazy old witch just started…to laugh.

"Wha-what is going on? Why are you…laughing?" I asked. I knew the old hag was crazy, but I did not think she was this crazy.

"Oh my, you two are one of a kind!" She said, wiping a tear away. I've never seen her laugh so hard she was crying. We just sat there, looking at her as if she were as crazy as a loon. "Listen," Yubaba began, "I came in here looking for those documents. I was going to return everyone's names back to them. But, well…you beat me to it!" She began laughing again, and Konno and I were now looking at each other, thinking the exact same thing.

"What the hell is wrong with you, woman!" I yelled and stood up. She could not stop her laughter, but quieted down to her what I had to say. "You kept our names hidden up for hundreds, _thousands_ of years, and now all of a sudden you just, want to return them?" She grabbed my arms to calm me down.

"I was wrong before. I never should have taken your names away. But it was the only way to keep everyone here. I had power. When I was created this place, I made an oath, as you may already know. To hire anyone who asks for a job. The only I could keep enough workers and not go over my limit, was to steal their names. That way, workers could not leave, and spirits would not go asking for a job as often. Those who turned into pigs were easily replaced." She sighed and looked at Konno.

"Now, Konno," she said in a polite voice. Polite plus Yubaba equals major questions needing answers. "I need those documents to help them." Konno looked at her, and then at me. I nodded, telling her it was alright. She looked back at Yubaba and slowly, handed her the papers.

"Thank you," Yubaba said, "Now, if you would like to join me, I believe there are some lost spirits who are trying to remember who they were."

* * *

><p>"Um, Haku," I asked, "I do not think we are going to the Dark Spirits Fortress. I think we are going the wrong way. Hello? Are you even going to acknowledge me?" He didn't even flinch. I sat back and crossed my arms. Men were all the same. All except Kage. He was as bright as the sun. As delicate as a flower. As gentle as the morning light. And me? I was as dumb as a doorknob. I should have stayed, been there for him. It would have done me some good and brought me happiness.<p>

We were flying for hours in the wrong direction, I just knew it. But why would Haku go through all the trouble he did and go completely out of way. When I saw the fortress with its beautiful garden, its flowing water fountain that never ends, and the town I so very much remember only a half mile away, I knew what was going on.

"Haku!" I yelled, "What the hell do you think you're doing? This…this is Kage's Fortress!" I could tell he was smiling. He was planning this all along. He wanted me to see Kage again, to talk to him again. He was playing matchmaker and I didn't like it at all. I was not ready. How would I react? How would he react? There was no guarantee he would still love me. It has been over ten years since I left.

Haku landed by the water fountain. He transformed into his human form, looked at me, and smiled. I was just about ready to slap that grin off his face.

"You are going to have to face it sooner or later. Like you told me once: He loves you. You love him. It's a perfect match." I looked at him with stunned eyes. He was actually listening to me then?

"You drive me insane, Haku," I said and punched his arm, "But you are right. I do love him. But how can I face him after ten years? I-I don't what he'll say, what he'll do. He will be mad, I know it. He will throw me out and I'll never have that chance again and-" he covered my mouth with his hands.

"Shh," he whispered, "There's something out here, and I do not like what I see." I looked into the sky. There was nothing but a sun, slowly about to set.

"Come on!" Haku said and we ran in through the doors. I tried to remove my wrist from his grip, but he would not let go. He would not let me leave again.

"Haku! Stop this!" He slowed down to a halt. My eyes were tearing up. If I couldn't handle being in his fortress once again, how was I going to handle seeing him?

"There is no hope," I said, "He won't forgive me."

"Yuki," Haku said, "I've seen the way he talks about you. He stills carries around that letter you gave him. He knows you love him. Now prove it, and walk through those doors!" I saw them. Two doors, looking exactly the same. Right through those doors was my future. My life. My everything. My Kage.

"But-"

"Yuki, there is hope." He said, "For a long time, I believe hope was a figment of our imagination, that hope was holding me back from reality. But hope brought Chihiro back; it brought her back to me. And hope will do the same all over again." The way Haku loved Chihiro was how I felt about Kage. And I thought…no-I knew, it was how he felt about me.

"Okay, Haku," I said, "I'm ready."

* * *

><p>"Let me out!" I was screaming at the top of my lungs, "Let me out right now! Haku, HELP ME!"<p>

**...So how was it? kinda of a sad ending, but very suspenseful! You're just gunna have to wait til next chapter to find out more. We are done with Lin for a while, I'm looking more at Haku and Yuki at the moment. I want at least one love story to happen soon! So what will Yuki do? Will she back out? Will she face her fears and reunite with her one true love? ANd will Haku be able to save Chihiro before its too late? Until next time, please review!**

**Anabelle ;)**


	15. Chapter 15: Facing Fears

**Hi! So who's ready to read the next chapter? This has been so fun writing, I can't believe I'm almost done with it. Because of all my reviews and to everyone who's reading this, thank you so much! I am so happy when I see more reviews! It shows me how much you all like it! Thank you, and here you go! Chapter 15!**

**Chapter 15: Facing Fears**

"Okay, I'm ready." The sound of Yuki saying those words was music to my ears. Kage will finally get some peace. I nodded and knocked on the colossal doors in front of us.

"Enter." The doors automatically opened. Yuki took a step back in shock. Kage looked…different than the last time she's seen him. He was much taller, and he had long, black hair. Now, it's very short and gray. He seemed to have not cared much of age without Yuki around.

"Haku," Kage said, "so wonderful of you to visit." He leapt out of his throne and grabbed my hand to shake it. He was as short as I remembered. Maybe even shorter. I looked back to see if Yuki was still here, but she was nowhere to be seen. In the distance, I saw her in the middle of the hallway we went through not long ago. I could barely make out that it was her, and I guessed that's what she wanted. Why couldn't she do this for Kage?

"I see your friend is a little uneasy. She can't even enter the room!" He began to laugh. If he had known it was Yuki, he wouldn't be laughing that way.

"It has to be that Chihiro girl, the one who saved me! I heard you've taken a liking to her, eh?" I was as tense as Yuki now. What was I going to say? "So, is she going to come out so that I may thank her? It must have been difficult to face me when...when I was in that stage." He sighed. The only reason he was in that stage was because of Yuki. Things happen to a river when its spirit doesn't tend to it every now and then. When something happens to the river, it affects the spirit as well.

"Well, that's that." Kage said, looking down at his feet. Trying to forget about the subject, he said, "Now, what brings you here, eh?"  
>"Master Kage," I replied, bowing to him, "I have come to ask of something, something that only a master river spirit can create." It didn't take long for Kage to realize what I was asking for.<p>

"Ah, a water stone. I can sense what you need it for as well. That's not Chihiro back there. Your girl is in danger, and you think it has to be you who needs to save her."

"The Dark Spirits have held her captive. Please, you have to make one so that I can save her." Kage put his fingers to his chin. It could go either way, but knowing our past, he would be more than willing to help.

"I shall grant your request," he replied, "but only on one condition."

"Anything at all."

"You find her." Kage said. I looked up at him with fearful eyes. "Her" being the one who left him. "Her" being the one whom he almost died for. "Her" being the one standing in his hallway this very moment. How would he react when he finds out she's been here the whole time?

"I know, it seems foolish to bring her back up again, even after you've taken so much time to try and find her, and this may be a difficult task. I can sense she is near, very near. If you could only find her; she doesn't even have to see me! I just want to know the truth." There was a long pause. I had totewll him, but Yuki had to as well.

"Kage, I think there is something you need to know." I said. I turned around, and the small figure in the hallway had vanished. Instead, the frightened young spirit was standing right next to me.

"Haku...allow me." she said. Kage's facial expression was more than shaken. It was like he was traumatized from seeing her again. He never imagined she would return.

"It…it can't be…" He said. Yuki walked straight up to him. Slowly, his hand moved closer and closer to her face, until it landed gently on her cheek.

"Yuki?" He said. She nodded, bursting into tears. She embraced him affectionately, and he returned it. Kage was stunned that she was here, bringing all her love with her.

"I thought I had lost you forever." He said. Yuki shook her head.

"And I thought leaving you was the biggest mistake I had ever made." Tears poured down from the couple. I couldn't help but cry myself. Yuki was smiling, contented that she was back in the arms of her love. She couldn't resist the urge to kiss him. He didn't even look like himself, but that did not stop their love. The moment they kissed, a gust of wind whirled around him. He was undergoing a transformation. Never had I ever seen a transformation like this before. He was turned back into his original self. His long, raven-black hair was as dark as the night. He was returned to the way he used to be, and he became happier than I'd ever seen him.

"Haku, I do not know how, but you found her." He could not even take his eyes off of her to walk up to his crystal ball. He waved his arms around the crystal ball. I looked at it, and the image was of his river. It was just like any other, only his flowed smoother than any I had ever seen. He had taken only a few drops out of the river, and they appeared in front of our eyes. He froze the water together. It took some time, but he carved it into a diamond. It was the most glorious thing I had ever seen.

"You helped me find my true love, and I am returning the favor. Go find her." Kage handed me the stone, and I bowed at him. I ran out as quickly as I could. I had to find her. There was nothing stopping me from getting what I wanted, what I needed. She was my world, and being without her was like being without life.

I made it outside when Yuki and Kage came running after me.

"Wait!" Yuki cried, "You can't go all by yourself. We will help you." I stared at them with contented eyes, which soon turned into sorrowful ones.

"I'm sorry," I replied, "but this is something I have to myself."

"Haku, don't be silly," Kage said, "We can help. Three against the Dark Spirits is better than one. We will save her together."

"I'm sorry, but my answer is no." I said, and I quickly transformed into my dragon form, and flew up to the sky.

**Yuki and Kage! I was almost crying when I wrote this! Now Kage can be happy again! And for Haku...well, let's just say Chihiro got herself into a mess that is going to take more than just Haku's help. She's going to need a lot of help...ALOT. Haku's pride gets the better of him sometimes. He wants to be her hero, but how can he be her hero if he can't defeat the Dark Spirits? Please review and I will write as fast as I can!  
>Anabelle ;)<strong>


	16. Chapter 16: A Deadly Love

**Hey! So it's Valentine's Day! I don't really like Valentine's Day. :( To me, it's pointless. haha But for all of you love it, I hope you had a good one! Chapter 16 is very...unusual. Something will happen that you'll find perfect for the story, or you'll really really hate it. Sorry for the haters! Anways, hope you enjoy it!**

**Chapter 16: A Deadly Love**

I did not need anyone to slow me down. I did not require Kage and Yuki's help. I knew how to save Chihiro. I saved her once, and I can do it again. Nothing was more powerful than my love for her, and spirits know how dangerous one another could be when it comes to love. It even can become deadly.

There was not a day that went by that I wondered what it would be like if Chihiro ever came back. I knew she would one day, and I knew I would fall in love with her as I did before. I knew we had something special, a connection. We were intertwined together, and nothing would keep us apart. That is, except for one thing I never thought I would face.

Rarely did humans and spirits fall in love, mostly because we were separated by our worlds. But in the rare occasion that a human did land in our world, there was almost a genuine chance that a spirit would in fall in love with them, and vice versa. But the cost was far greater than the reward.

My father went through the same predicament. He met a human one day, years before I was born. She had beautiful black hair with white streaks flowing down. Her name was Michiyo. My father, Katsu, met her the first day she came. She was a young woman at the time, maybe a little older than Chihiro was. She was lost on a hiking trip she and her friends were taking. Michiyo found a strange building in the middle of the forest she was in. The building looked almost exact to the one Chihiro came through. But this one led to a different area of the Spirit World.

Michiyo was found by my father wandering around, looking confused. At first, Katsu was enraged with anger. She had stumbled upon his land, and at the time, he was an angry spirit. She had nowhere to go, and Michiyo begged him to let her stay in his home. He only agreed if she promised to do what he said whenever he said it.

Months went by and she did everything he asked. She cleaned, she cooked, she even sowed him clothing when she had the time. Their bond became so close, it was almost love. They spent so much time together in Katsu's Fortress that their bond became more than the Spirit World allowed. One day, when Katsu was returning home, she was lying on the floor, half dead. He tried his best to save her, but nothing worked.

Hours went by, and her life was slowing fading away. Michiyo had minutes at best. Katsu then was giving the opportunity to prove himself as a Master River Spirit (I capitalized that because it's a high rank, like President, Ambassador, etc.). Only Master River Spirits can create a water stone. He tried as hard as he could, concentrating on performing the creation.

He knew he could make it. He knew he would be able to save her. As the water stone was completed, he immediately used it on Michiyo. But he did not know what to use it for. If he she were alive, he would have to send her away back to the Human World. Katsu then remembered the water stone can grant anyone on wish. So he wished for something greater than anything he could ever do. Katsu wished Michiyo became a spirit.

The water stone glowed, and Michiyo awoke. Her hazel eyes stared at Katsu's. The Spirit World was not strong enough to tear them apart. My parents told me this story as often as they could. It reminded me that if two people were supposed to be together, they would find a way. I would find a way for us to be together. That kiss was real. It signified that we both felt the same way. And nothing was going to stop me from finding her.

Sunset came and the Dark Spirits Fortress came into view. I sensed Chihiro was near, I knew she was there. I landed far enough so I wouldn't be spotted by them. The Dark Spirits would surely guard this place like Yubaba guards her jewels and gold.

I jumped into a nearby tree and observed the lookout towers. Only three were in view. There was a blind spot, and it looked like an entrance in. It was my only shot to find her.

I changed back into my dragon form and fly to the top as quiet as a mouse. It was very simple. I would have thought they might have thought everything through. And that was my mistake.

I looked down the entrance. It was a large hole, and looked like it was 100 feet long. I slowly climbed down, using my claws to stay on the side and to go at my own pace. But I let my guard down.

At the top of the entrance, prison bars enclosed me inside. I didn't think the bars would shoot down and pull whatever was there down with it. And I fell 100 feet down, landing on my stomach. I was bleeding on my side and right cheek. I looked around the half-circled room I was trapped in. it was nothing but glass walls. They seemed sturdy and well-built. My strength couldn't compare to its' power. I turned around to see a clear glass wall, with a girl on the other side looked straight at me.

"Haku!" she screamed. Her voice was faint, but I still knew who it was. Chihiro. But the pain I was going through couldn't keep me awake long enough to talk to her. As I looked deep into her eyes, I fainted on the ground below.

* * *

><p>"Haku!" I yelled. He was staring at me with his emerald green eyes. But he seemed to have been through so much that he couldn't stay conscious. I wanted to break the glass and help him, but it was too powerful for me to even make a scratch. All I could do was sit there and hope he would be okay.<p>

I waited hours. Days maybe. Just staring at Haku, waiting for him to wake up made me lose track of time. I had not eaten in over a day, mostly because I believed Kawazoe was frightened of me. When she forced me into the prison, I did not hesitate to put up a fight. I might have given her a black eye and broken a few fingers. I still didn't know what they wanted with me. Humans weren't a real threat to spirits. Or were we?

When I first came here, everyone in the bathhouse was scared that a human was there. Maybe it was my sent, but it must have been more than that. The Dark Spirits must have done their research and known that I was threat. But how?

Moments later I saw Haku begin to move. He was trying to stand up, and if this wall wasn't separating us, I would have been by his side the minute he woke up.

"Haku?" I said. He slowly said up and looked me. Haku rushed to the glass and placed his hands right by mine. My eyes could not leave him.

"Are you okay?" he asked me.

"I think the bigger question is are _you_ okay?" I said. He smiled and assured me he was fine. I breathed a sigh of relief. Haku was going to be alright.

* * *

><p>Chihiro looked relieved, almost like she thought I was about to die. Spirits rarely died, and my injuries were minor. But I wasn't worried about me at the moment.<p>

"But what was that stunt you pulled?" I asked. "What possessed you to listen to that witch?"

"I thought she was going to help me," Chihiro replied, "Kawazoe said she could fix everything."

"You scared me half to death. And don't get me started with your parents, they-"

"Don't even mention those backstabbers. They were the ones who made me consider Kawazoe's offer!"

"Yeah? And what did she offer you, Chihiro?" I asked. I could not believe we were having this argument.

"I did it for you!" She screamed. Everything became quiet. "Kawazoe said we could be together, that she could change their idea of us. I just wanted everyone to be happy with this."

"Chihiro, she can't do that. You have a bigger problem than your parents not approving us." I said. She looked confused.

"I-I don't understand. Is it because I'm not a spirit? If I could wish for anything, I would wish to become a spirit. Not for the powers or anything better than what humans get, but to be with you." I was taken aback.

"Chihiro, I couldn't live with myself if I let you do that." I said.

"But I love you…" She whispered, "I loved you when we said good-bye for the first time, I love you now and I always will!"

"Chihiro, please…"

"Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi," She began. I had never heard her call me that before. "I'm in love with you."

"Chihiro, no!" And that was the last thing she heard before falling to the ground below.

**WOW! Just to be clear, humans and spirits are NOT susposed to be together. Haku's parents found a way around it by turning his mother into a spirit, but how will Haku save his love? He's trapped. More questions, more suspense, I think I'm doing my job. :( Reviews help me update faster, so please tell me what you think!**

**Anabelle ;)**


	17. Chapter 17: A Battle to Remember

**Hi! This HAS to be my LONGEST CHAPTER YET! I hope you all like it, becuase I spent two hours satraight writing it! :) I couldn't wait to post it so I wrote everything now! A lot is going to happen, and not always for the better. I don't want to spoil it, so I'm only going to say, expect the unexpected.**

**Chapter 17: A Battle to Remember**

"Chihiro, no!" It was as if history were repeating itself. What happened to my mother was now happening to Chihiro. The Spirit World was not going to allow a human and a spirit to be together.

"Well, well, well, it's about time you killed her off." I looked at the open door on Chihiro's side of the prison. Kawazoe. If this wall were down, Kawazoe would have wished she didn't say that, because I wanted to kill her.

"Let me out! Drop this wall immediately!" I yelled. I did not think she would have listened to me. I was stunned to see the wall slowly fade into thin air.

"Since she has little time left, I'm going to let you be with her, out of the kindness of my heart. Which, according to what I hear, almost happened to your mother, am I wrong?" I was too busy holding Chihiro's hand to listen to what Kawazoe had to say.

"Good work, Kawazoe." I turned around to see the demon who said those terrible words. It was Kazuma, the leader of the Dark Spirits.

"Kazuma!" I said. I was filled with anger. Kazuma had known all along about Chihiro. He knew what she wanted and used that to eliminate her. "Look what you have done!"

"Now Kohaku, I think we both know it is what _you_ have done." He said. And it was true. I was the one who came here. I was the one who fell into their trap. Chihiro knew she was going to die, and they knew she would tell me what she did.

"Looks like the Spirit World still does not take any prisoners. Last time this happened, I believe, was about a few hundred years ago, am I wrong?" I glared at him. He knew. Everyone knew the story of my parents.

"Way before the great Kohaku Spirit was born, a human came to town." He said.

"Stop this. Now!" I yelled.

"But I'm just getting to the best part." Kazuma replied.

"You're a monster. You want the humans dead and for what? Let. It. Go." Kazuma stared at me. We all knew what I was talking about.

"You know nothing about what they did to me!" Kazuma screeched.

"Oh really?" I said, "So, I don't know that they humans destroyed everything and everyone you loved? It was a hundred years ago. They are dead already. There is nothing you can do about it."

"Oh, but there is." He said, "This human girl, I'd know her anywhere." I was confused. How could he have known her? He has never seen her before.

"That's… that's impossible." I whispered. There was no way he was telling the truth.

"I know her ancestors." I gasped. I held on to Chihiro's arm. He was not going to hurt her any longer. I would make sure of it.

"They did it. Her relatives ruined everything I had, everyone I loved! And now, because of their mistake, she will pay."

"Well, I guess I'll have to change that." I held up the water stone to Kawazoe and Kazuma. Kawazoe gasped. Apparently, she never thought their plans would fail. I knelt closer to Chihiro and held the stone close to me. And then I whispered, "I wish she would become a spirit."

I took the stone and placed it over her heart. It began to glow, and then it united with Chihiro. For a second, I thought everything was going to be okay. But things were just getting worse.

"Ha!" Kazuma laughed, "You really forgot, didn't you? After that little incident with your parents, the Spirit World knew they needed to take things into its own hands. That little water stone of yours was never going to help her. She'll be dead by daybreak if you don't find another way."

I knew there was another way. There had to be. I couldn't just let her die without trying to save her. The Spirit World was many things, but evil was not one of them. I had to change things.

"Now," Kazuma said, "I think it's time we got down to business." He pulled out a sword and placed it under my chin.

"Say hi to Chihiro for me." He was about to slice me in half when someone's voice came.

"Master Kazuma!" It was one of the guards. But for some reason, he didn't show himself.

"What the bloody hell do you want!" Kazuma yelled, "I am in the middle of something important."

"I just wanted to say there's someone here to see you." That was a different guard. I didn't know why, but none of the guards would show their faces. Something was wrong.

"Well, who?" Kazuma asked.

"Me!" A black spirit came out and began to attack Kazuma. But this was no ordinary spirit. This was No-Face.

"No-Face!" I yelled. I saw Kawazoe join the fight, and I would have as well. But someone had to watch Chihiro.

"Kohaku!" I heard a familiar voice.

"Zeniba! What are you two doing here?" I asked her.

"Saving your ass, now get Chihiro! I think I can help!" I grabbed Chihiro and carried her to a corner in the prison cell. Zeniba looked at her without poignant eyes.

"This is going to be hard, but I will need more than just my magic." We looked over to the fight. No-Face was barely holding them off. He coughed up two of the guards, but he was still his gigantic self. We were going to need as much help as we possibly can.

"Zeniba!" No-Face called out, "I need your help! I can't hold them off!" Zeniba flew towards them and began using her magic on Kazuma.

"Kohaku! Stay put and keep Chihiro safe!" Zeniba yelled.

"Well, good luck with that!" Kawazoe said. She abandoned her battle with No-Face and went straight for Chihiro and me. I stood up and ran at her. She pulled out a knife and tried to cut my arm, but I grabbed her wrist. We fought over control of the knife. This was a matter of life and death.

"Sen!" I looked over and saw Lin, Konno, and Yubaba running towards her. Did everyone know we were here? Yubaba began to chant a spell and it lifted Kawazoe into the air. She threw her body against the wall and Kawazoe collapsed. Lin and Konno were tending to Chihiro's needs.

I loud explosion was heard at the top of the prison. The moon was in full view, and so were Kage and Yuki. Kage was in his dragon form. His green scales looked like a field of grass, and Yuki was on his back. I was actually glad they disobeyed my orders to stay away.

"Haku, we brought a few friends we thought would be helpful." As Kage flew down and transformed out, I saw Akio and Yuuko. And…Boh?

"Where is my daughter?" Yuuko asked. I pointed to where Lin and Konno were at, and both parents rushed to her aid. Kage and Yuki went after Kawazoe. I flowed closely behind with Boh running at full speed. For a corpulent baby like him, he sure knew how to run fast.

"So how did you get out of the bathhouse?" I asked him. He smiled at me.

"Auntie Zeniba gave me a ride!" He said. Leave it to Zeniba to bring a baby to a fight like this. "I just waited outside until I wasn't scared anymore." I knelt down by Chihiro's side as Lin rested her head on her lap. Konno was lightly brushing her hair, and Yuuko was trying hard not to cry.

"How did this happen?" Yuuko asked. Akio looked at me with concerned eyes. I sighed and said, "She fell in love with a spirit, and…that's not what's supposed to happen." Yuuko and Akio gave me a puzzled look, but everyone else knew what I was talking about. Even Boh understood.

"What…what are you talking about?" Yuuko asked.

"Humans and spirits are forbidden to be together," Lin explained, "it has been a regulation for as long as anyone can remember. It has only happened once before."

"Chihiro was very brave to tell you, Haku," Konno said. She wiped a tear from her eye. She didn't know Chihiro very well, but she knew everything she did. I felt tears rolling down my cheeks.

"AHH!" I yelled. I looked down at my side, and a knife was piecing from one end to the other. It was the same knife Kawazoe had, and she was the one who threw it at me. There was no one she wanted to hurt more than me. I fainted, and that's the last thing I remember.

* * *

><p>"Haku!" I heard a scream. My sister was off facing Kazuma, and my employees were helping Chihiro. I saw Haku fall to the ground. He wasn't dead, though. I knew him too well to give up so easily.<p>

"Yubaba!" Zeniba called, "I need your help!" Zeniba...needed my help? What was I going to do? Zeniba and I never got along, not even as kids. But now was not a moment to be angry at her.

"Zeniba, hold on!" I created a magic ball and threw it at Kazuma. He fell to the ground hard. Zeniba was catching her breath and I ran to help her.

"Thank you, Yubaba." She said, and smiled at me.

"Anything for a sister." I replied. We both were strong enough to take on Kazuma. Our powers combined were ten times as much as he had. There was no way we would lose.

"I may have underestimated you two," Kazuma said, "I guess you can get along after all. But that won't stop me."

"Surrender now and we won't have to do this." Zeniba said. She looked at me and nodded. We were going to do the lightning ball. The last time we both used the lightning ball, it was against each other. Now, we were using it together.

I twisted my wrists around and Zeniba mimicked my movement. Together, rain clouds formed above us. Lightning struck and landed between us. We took the energy from it and held it front of Kazuma.

"You wouldn't dare," He said.

"Try us!" He ran towards us and threw a black hole in the sky. It started small, but began grabbing anything it saw: swords from the guards attacking, and then the guards. Soon it was going to take in us.

"Yubaba, now!" We threw the ball with all our might. There was no doubt Kazuma wouldn't be hit by it, and he was. The lightning ball was so powerful he could stand up after. He was so weak, that his magic destroyed him. The black hole was taking him in.

"This isn't over! I will destroy you!" Kazuma yelled, and those were his final words.

"Zeniba," I said, "we make a good team." She looked up at me and smiled.

"Yeah, we do."

* * *

><p>"There is no way I'll let you win!" Kawazoe said. There was no I was letting her win, I thought. She was not going to take away everyone I care about.<p>

"Kawazoe, give up! Your master is gone! It's only you!" Yuki said. Kawazoe looked crazy, almost like a rabid squirrel. She really had lost her mind.

"I'm not giving up until I've won!" She grabbed a sword that had not fallen victim to the black hole and attacked Yuki. She pushed me out of the way. My adrenaline surged.

"Yuki, no!" I yelled. I was not going to lose her again. Not again. Yuki jumped into the air and landed back on her feet. Punches flew towards each of them, and most failed.

"You won't get away with this! I never lose!" Kawazoe had gone completely insane at that moment. She transformed into her dragon form and grabbed a hold of Yuki.

"Ah! Let go of me!" She cried. My instincts took over and I changed into a dragon as well. I flew as high as Kawazoe went. She was about to crush Yuki.

"Well, looks like there's only going to be a happy ending for me!" She said.

"Kage, help me!" Yuki desperately called. I flew into Kawazoe and dug my horns into her. She cried at the pain, but I didn't stop. Not until Yuki was safe. Not until we all were safe. I swung my tail across her face. She was weak. That was my best chance. I flew directly into Kawazoe and she fell down hard. Yuki was out of her grip, but she was badly injured.

I transformed out and grabbed Yuki's hand. She was still breathing, but barely.

"Yuki, wake up!" I yelled. Yubaba and Zeniba were next to me. I saw that Kawazoe had taken the same fate as Kazuma, but that didn't matter to me. All that matter was that Yuki was safe.

"Come on," Zeniba said, "let's get them all to my house."

* * *

><p>"Haku, are you alright?" I vaguely heard Kage's voice. I slowly woke up and saw I was lying down on a bed. My bed, actually. The one I had used for the past nine years. Kage and Yubaba were at my bedside. I tried to sit up, but it was too painful. Yubaba left the room and I could make out the word "awake."<p>

"Haku, are you okay? That was quite a battle there, don't you think?" I looked at him and nodded. Seconds later, No-Face brought me back a glass of water. He was back to his original self, now with all the guards of the Dark Spirits gone. I drank it all until there wasn't a drop left, and he took the cup back to Zeniba.

"What happened after I fainted?" I asked. I saw Akio and Yuuko sitting at the dining room table. They seemed disappointed. Akio patted her back in comfort, and she cried into his shoulder. I didn't want to think of the possibilities.

"You were stabbed, Haku," Kage began, "Kawazoe threw her knife and it landed right in your side. If it weren't for Zeniba's magic and her special medicines, you would have died." I tried getting up again, and I managed to sit up straight. Kage sat next to me.

"Then Yuki was attacked by Kawazoe. I tried to fight her off, but…" He paused for a moment. Tears began building up in his eyes. "I think Yuki was caught in the crossfire, when I was attacking Kawazoe." He tried to be strong, but it wasn't working. I patted his back and his cried into my shoulder.

"If I lose her again, this time I won't get her back." He said.

"I'm sure Zeniba is doing her best to save her. Yuki is her daughter, after all." He sat up straight and looked at me.

"What about Chihiro? Is she okay? What happened to her?" I asked Kage. He looked at me, and then down at the floor.

"She…she's still not awake." Kage said, "We don't what is going to happen. If she doesn't wake up by dawn…I-I don't know what else there is we can do after that."

**...WOW! So what will happen? Next chapter will be ALL about Chihiro and what happened after she said those three special words. I feel for Haku. He really did everything he could to save her. But now, the only thing he can do is wait. And patience isn't something Haku is good at. And how will Yuki be? She may not wake up because of Kage. :( I know, there is A LOT of saddness going around, but everything will change next chapter. Please review! **

**Anabelle ;)**


	18. Chapter 18: A Lost Spirit

**Hi! Sorry I didn't put this up sooner, but i was soooooo busy with school and other stuff. Sorry! Anway, I said this would be about Chihiro and what she was going through after her (quote)"death."(unquote) I really hope you enjoy it! I can't believe I'm almost done! Thanks to everyone who read, and a special tahnks to everyone who reviewed:**

**Lovelyladylocks...XSnowXPrincessX...DaSani Water...EmrysMagicxx...Silver Sea Mist...Onyxx-09...teeboy...Woodswolf...WhiteTiger246...Savvyzzzz... Jikarashino-Haruko...Gone to the World...ThousandsOfHearts2721...thank you!**

**Chapter 18: A Lost Spirit**

"Wh-Where am I?" I thought. The last thing I remembered was telling Haku that I loved him. I didn't know what happened to me. I was falling down, not knowing where I was going to land. As I was about to plummet to the ground below, I slowed down in mid-air. I was unconscious for the longest time, and now I had just woken up. The place I landed in was…strange. I couldn't see anything for miles. It was like I was trapped in a box and there was nowhere to go. The entire area was a bright white light. It seemed like I was in heaven.

Was I? Did telling Haku my feelings for him kill me? I couldn't see anything, or anyone. I was alone.

"Wee!" I heard a faint sound. "Wee! I'm free!" It was growing louder and louder. It sounded like the voice of a child, a very young child. All of a sudden, I saw a young girl, skipping and laughing around. She seemed to be around the age I was when I first came to the Spirit World, maybe a little older. SHe seemed happier than I was at the moment.

"Excuse me," I said politely, but the girl seemed too excited to answer me. "Excuse me!" I said a little louder. She paused and turned around to see me. Then she skipped all around me until she stopped in front of me.

"Hi ya!" She said. I was confused. She seemed so happy to be in this place. She had to have known where we were. I was oblivious to the world around me, and she was the only one for miles of this place.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, but…where are we?" I asked. The little girl began laughing at what I said. I felt a little insulted that she had more knowledge of this place than I did.

"We're in heaven!" She said, "Well, sort of. This is the bridge to get there. I guess you can call it purgatory. You have to make your way to the gates. That's where I'm going right now!" She skipped away, but I wasn't done with her yet. I still had more questions that needed answers.

"Wait!" I said, grabbing her arm, "So, we-we're dead?" I was completely shocked. I was never going back. I would never see my parents or my friends until it was their turn. And Haku. I would never see him again. Spirits rarely died, and he had been living for thousands of years prior. Again, the little girl laughed at me. I was taken back that she thought us being dead was a funny thing.

"You're new at this, aren't you?" I looked at her puzzled. I was sure everyone who came here was new at it.

"I've been here before, but I was sent back. Then, a few years later, I'm back!" She seemed so happy to be deceased. She must have had a troubled life and was happy to have been set free.

"We aren't dead until we go through the gates. It was my turn to go, and now I can't wait to get there!" She began to skip away, and soon I couldn't see her anymore. She was on her way to the gates, and she would join the deceased. However, I was in a state of shock. How did I die? There must have been something that happened. If only I knew someone there that would tell me what was going on.

"Ch-Chihiro?" I heard a whisper. And my wish was granted. As I turned around, Yuki was standing right behind me.

"Yuki!" I exclaimed and ran towards her. I was stunned to see her here. But by the look on her face, it seemed as if she knew I'd be here, like she knew she would, too.

"What is going on?" I asked, "Why are we in purgatory? Why are you even here? Are you dead?" Yuki held up her hand to calm me down.

"Yes I am sort of dead. But don't worry, Haku is by your side right now I presume." I sighed. Did this mean I never would see him again? How could I spend my immortal life in heaven away from the man I loved? It was unfair.  
>"But-but just because we're here, doesn't mean we can't back." I was confused. How do we die and then all of a sudden we come back to life? Then again, we did "die" in the Spirit World, and there were many things that could be questioned there.<p>

"I see you have many questions. How about we take a walk, and I'll tell you everything you need to know." I nodded and we began walking down through what seemed like an endless tunnel.

"First off, how are you here?" I asked.

"Oh," Yuki said, sighing, "it was an accident, really. Not the first time I've been here, anyway." Was everyone in an incident that caused them to die? I felt like the only one who had never been there; even the little girl-who I forgot to ask what her name was- knew where we were. "Kage and I went back to help Haku stop the Dark Spirits, and Kawazoe had me in her grip."

"Oh no! Did _she_ kill you? It's all my fault, I brought you in this mess, I-"

"Chihiro it wasn't her." She said, "It was Kage." I gasped. Kage would have done anything to protect her, he couldn't have done that to her. Not on purpose, at least.

"But it was an accident, believe me! He was trying to, to protect me from her. I was caught in the crossfire. He didn't do it on purpose, he-he wouldn't have!" Yuki began bursting into tears.

"I can see that you love him," I said. She nodded, not looking at my face.

"Haku brought us back together." She said.

"That's just like Haku to help someone that way." I said and smiled. After a while of her crying, it was time I got some answers about me and purgatory.

So, how is it that I got here?" She sighed at the sound of that. I wasn't going to like what she would have to say.

"Spirits and humans are not supposed to be together, as in fall in love." Yuki began, as if I had not heard that a million times before, "When you told Haku you loved him, the Spirit World deprived you of your life."

"What?" I said shockingly, "That's not fair!"

"I agree, and so does Haku's father."

"His…father?" I asked. Yuki then began to laugh. I was beginning to feel like that no matter what I said, someone was going to laugh at it.

"Oh my, no told you?" She said, "Haku's father went through the same problem. He was in love with a human, as Haku is now. He tried to save her and when he did, the Spirit World did not approve. They couldn't do anything about it because she was transformed into a spirit."

"Really?" I said, "I remember telling Haku I wished I could be a spirit so I could be with him." I closed my eyes at the thought of Haku. If I died now, I would never be able to see him again, or my friends and family.

"Yes, and I also remember him asking Kage for a water stone, so that he can use it to save you." The missing pieces to the puzzle were finally there. Everything was becoming very lucid.

"So, that means, he knew I would say I loved him?" Yuki nodded. Then, all of sudden, the ground below us began to shake. Someone was pounding on it, someone big. Yuki wasn't as afraid as I was. It seemed normal to her.

"Stop that!" They screamed, "I never want to hear you say that again!"

"Who-Who is that?" I asked her. She looked at the creature coming towards us. It was a large man, almost a hundred feet tall. His face was red with anger, his hair was as long as his back went, and his eyes were as black as night. He was more frightening than Yubaba.

"That would be the one who controls both the Spirit and Human Worlds." I looked at him with fear, but soon realized I was not going to face him that way. He despised humans and spirits coexisting, but that was all about to change. I would make it so.

"You!" The man said, pointing his enormous finger and me, "You did this!"

"I have done nothing wrong," I replied, "But do tell me what it is you think I did." He seemed to get angrier at me, and that was my intension. Yuki looked at me in shock. I probably was not supposed to get tough with him.

"You, Chihiro Ogino, have broken one of our oldest traditions! Humans were put together in the Human World to be with their own kind, whereas the spirits were put together in the Spirit World to be with _their_ own kind!"

"Yeah, and I doubt this is the first time that's happened before." He picked me up in his enlarged hand. I was smaller than his fingers. He brought me closer to his face to show his power.

"Listen to me, you ungrateful little girl," he said, "I control what's best for everyone and that is that they are separated from each other!"  
>"Then why was I able to go to the Spirit World the first time?" I yelled.<p>

"You were a spoiled brat; I needed _some_ way to teach you a lesson!" I gave him my sarcastic grin.

"And when Haku and I kissed, why didn't you do anything then?" He paused for a moment. I knew there wasn't something right with any of this.  
>"I was hoping you two would have come to your senses," he said, "I-it's not love until you confess it to one another."<p>

"Really?" I said, "Is that _really_ why?" He seemed confused at that.

"Of-of course it is," he replied, "What other reason is there?"

"I think you wanted all of this to happen," I said, "As a test or something."

"A test?" he replied. He seemed more confused than ever. He either has no idea what I was talking about or he had a really good poker face.

"I love Haku, and there is nothing you can do to stop that." Before he could say another word, I continued. "Love isn't just between human and human or spirit and spirit, it is between a man and a woman, no matter where they come from. If you knew anything about the Human World, you would know there is a lot of prejudice going on. Well I've had enough of it! I came to be with Haku because I knew there would be no one to judge me for I was or where I came from. But all I've gotten is people telling me I can't be with him and for what! I'm sick and tired of it!"

"I-I…"

"Just kill me now so I don't have to look at your face." I said, "If I can't be with Haku, then there's no reason to live." He was stunned by this. I was not going to let him bully me into keeping me from "No one has ever spoken to me that way," the man said in a fuming tone. But then, he began to smile. "And I greatly admire that."

"What?" Yuki and I said in unison.

"You were right from the start," he said, "I wanted to test your loyalty towards Kohaku. No one, not even the ones before you, have shown this much courage and bravery towards me. There's no doubt they showed how much they loved the person, but none were as brave as you to stand up to me like that." He looked at Yuki. Her mouth dropped to the floor. I began to laugh at her. The man set me back down and smiled.

"I have no use for either of you. You belong in the Spirit World, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise." I smiled and looked at Yuki. We were going home!

"Th-thank you!" I said. The man walked away as Yuki and I hugged. I was going to see Haku again, and my parents, and Lin! I haven't even seen Granny the whole time I was the Spirit World! She would be there, I just knew it. Yuki and I began glowing, and soon we disappeared into thin air.

* * *

><p><strong>Haku's POV<strong>

I can't take it any longer!" I screamed. I was standing outside of Zeniba's house, looking at the swamp for which this place is named after. I had been waiting for hours just see if Chihiro would make a sound. If she just moved a muscle, that would have been a sign that she would be okay. I hoped she would come back, I hoped the reason she would come back was for me.

"Chihiro is a tough girl, Kohaku." It was Zeniba. She had left her house to tell me everything was going to be alright, even though I knew it wouldn't. "She knows how much you love her, and she will do whatever it takes to be with you again." Not even her words of wisdom could help me now. If she didn't wake up, there was no reason for me to go on.

"I can't live without her, Zeniba." I whispered, "I love her more than anything in the world."

"I know, everyone knows!" She said, exaggerating how it was no secret that Chihiro and I had extreme feelings for each other, "Even Chihiro knows, and if you hope and pray that she will come back, I know she will."

"Well, hope is a load of crap!" I screamed, "Yes, I do hope she will come back to me, but it won't bring her back!" My powers were beginning to go out of control. Zeniba grabbed my wrists and calmed me down.

"Remember what I said about controlling your powers?" She told me sternly. I bowed and sighed.

"Now, why do you hope for things to happen?" She asked me. I found it irrelevant, but answered, "Because I want it to be true."

"Hope may not give you what you want all the time, but it will always help you believe." I looked up at her. I hated it when she was right.

"Haku! Zeniba!" It was Kamajii. After he had heard what happened to Chihiro and me, he came rushing out of the boiler room and arrived here.

"Th-th" He was out of breath. For a man with six arms, that seemed highly improbable.

"Speak up!" I demanded.

"They…are…both…awake."

**Didn't see that one coming! You probably did, hehe. So now what is Haku going to do? He still hasn't confessed his undying love for Chihiro. And Kage? It's kind of his fault Yuki was in purgatory in the first place. What will happen to all these relationships? SO many questions! But not as much, I hope. If you got any, message or review me!**

**Anabelle ;)**


	19. Chapter 19: Clueless

**hi everyone! Sorry this took so long, my weekend was BOOKED! But, I still used a good majority to write this :) Now, I hope this sin't too pushy, but i wanted to keep the story going with one little itty bitty conflict left. At first, I was sort of skeptical about writing it, but now that I think about it, I like it! Hope the chapter title doesn't give it away too much! Enjoy!**

**P.S. LeeshyLoo - I usually update every 2-5 days, depends on when I have time. But I try to get them up ASAP! Thanks for liking this!**

**Vampireninja101 - Thanks! I'm really glad you enjoy it! And thanks for the advice!**

**Libby16 - Thanks for reviewing all my chapters! :)**

**Savvyzzzz - Thank you! I'm glad you like my writing. I hope to get more up soon so thanks for reviewing!**

**Chapter 19: Clueless**

"Chihiro!" I ran as fast as lightning into the room where Chihiro had been. I couldn't believe this was happening. I never imagined she would come to me. She was the only thing that kept me going, and without her, I don't know what I would have done.

"Chihiro!" I yelled, and ran to her side.

"I'm okay, too." Yuki was sitting on the bed next to Chihiro's. Kage had given her a cup of tea to help her recovery. She seemed to be in good hands.

"Nice to see you too, Yuki." I replied, and sat right next to Chihiro, but Lin pulled me back.

"Haku, give her some space," Lin ordered, "Chihiro just woke up and she's a little lightheaded." I sighed, but realized she was right. Chihiro was going to need some time to recover.

"Wh-where am I?" She asked. I knelt beside where she lay while she tried to get the strength to sit up. I grabbed her hand slowly. She was weak, and was going to need quite some time to heal.

"You're in Zeniba's house," I told her.

"Zeniba?" She questioned. You think she would remember her own Granny.

"Yes, Zeniba," I patiently said, "It's me, Haku."

"Ha-Haku?" She seemed confused. How would she be confused to see me?

"Chihiro, are you okay?" I asked her. I grasped her hand, and she tightly held it.

"Haku!" She screamed. Chihiro hugged me so tight it was hard to breathe. It was almost like she was ten again.

"I miss you so much," I said, "I thought I lost you."

"I thought I lost you, too." I replied.

"I knew I was going to come back eventually." I looked at her, puzzled. She almost died, how would she have known if she were to come back or not?

"Are you serious?" Yuki said, holding her forehead in her hand, "You were so scared when we first saw that man! You practically told him to give your life away!" Chihiro backed away up to the wall. How did she recover that fast? Not even I was able to sit up perfectly straight after a few minutes of waking up. Something was different about her.

"Haku, who is she?" Chihiro asked. Everyone looked at her like she was crazy.

"What are you talking about?" Yuki said, "It's me, Yuki. We nearly died together!"

"That's not what I remember," she said, still pressed against the wall. Her eyes were now on Kage. "And you…who are you?"

"Chihiro," I said, "What's gotten into you?"  
>"Haku, you obviously know these people better than me, so who are they?" Chihiro was confused. I could see it in her eyes.<p>

"Haku, why do you look…older?" My eyes widened, for I knew what was going on.

"Oh my gosh." I said. Everyone looked at me, but Zeniba nodded.

"Yes, I feared this would happen." Zeniba said.

"What?" Akio said, "You _knew_ this would happen to her? Um, what _is_ happening to her?"

"We assumed," I corrected him, "I don't know why, but humans can't live here like we can." Zeniba nodded.

"Hello, can someone tell me what is going on?" Chihiro was still up against the wall, too frightened to do anything.

"Chihiro," I asked calmly, "what is the last thing you remember?"

"I-I remember you telling me good-bye," Chihiro said, "You told me not to look back, not until I've reached the end of the tunnel." I put my hand over my face. It's exactly how I knew it would happen.

"No!" I slammed my hand on the wall. I never wanted this to her. The Spirit World always had a way of tearing us apart.

"What is she talking about?" Yuuko asked, "When Chihiro said she was saying good-bye to you, does that mean she only remembers up to the point when she first met you all?" I nodded and Yuuko put her hands to her mouth. This was too much to take in all at once.

"We can't explain everything that happens in the Spirit World, but we do know that humans that stay here…tend to forget things." Zeniba explained.

"And that includes all her memories from after she was ten years old?" Akio shouted. His anger was going towards me. I was beginnng to get annoyed with his anger towards me because I was in love with his daughter, and that all of this is my fault.

"Okay, wait," Yuuko said, "If Chihiro has lost her memory, why haven't we?"

"Well, it could be that you're older, and the effects will take longer to involve you two." Zeniba said. Everything she said was true. None of it should be, but it was. Chihiro only remembers the time we said good-bye, and the past nine years of her life are just a blank, including the time we spent together.

"Why now, though?" I asked Zeniba, "I thought it would have been days before this would happen. I thought you have had something to help her by the time this would take effect!"

"I thought so as well," she replied, "but I can't control the Spirit World, and neither can you."

"Um, hello?" Chihiro said, "I'm still here, and no one has told me what is going on!" I was not going to like telling her this.

"Chihiro," I slowly began, "Right now, we are in Zeniba's house." She nodded. Good. She at least remembers part of her past. "And this is Zeniba's daughter, Yuki." Yuki waved to her as Kage wrapped her arm a piece of cloth to help her wound.

"You have a daughter, Zeniba?" Chihiro asked, "Since when?"

"It's sort of a long story," Zeniba said, blushing. It wasn't a story she liked telling people. Chihiro turned back to me and I continued.

"And last night, you…almost died." Chihiro gasped, but I had to continue. "You told me your feelings for me, strong feelings. And…the Spirit World doesn't allow this sort of thing to happen."

"So, I told you that I loved you?" Chihiro said. I nodded, and she took a seat on the bed. I sat next to her, wrapping my arm around her shoulder. "I know it's tough to hear this, but…you can't remember the last nine years of your life."

Chihiro began panting. She was hyperventilating. She began shaking her head, as if she didn't agree with anything I told her. She began whispering no more times than can be counted. Then, all of a sudden, she burst out of the room and out the door, leaving everyone who can help her behind.

**Whoa! That was crazy! Like I said, one more conflict and soon everything was going to be "happily ever after." hehe. So what did you think? Now what will Chihiro do? She doesn't remember anything from the time she left Haku until now. How will she regain her memories if she ran away and left the only people who can help her? And what will Haku do? How will he help her remember how they felt towards each other? Please review! Thanks!**

**Anabelle ;)**


	20. Chapter 20: Clueless Part 2

**Hey everyone! I hope you're not mad that this one took some time. I was super busy this week. Sorry! I was hoping to get this done by Leap Day...yeah obviously that didn't happen. Oh well! It's up now. Chihiro still has lost her memories, and things aren't going the way they should. Does anyone remember that POV u just randomly put in there a few chapters back? We see them again. A little better insight of what it's about. Not saying too much about them, but you'll know the characters a little better. ENjoy!**

**Chapter 20: Clueless Part 2**

"No!" The little girl cried out, "This is too sad! She can't forget everyone!"

"Hamano," I said, trying to reassure the little girl that everything was fine, "the story isn't over. And I did promise a happy ending, right?" This got all of the children excited.

"Well, what happens next, Aunty?"

* * *

><p>"Chihiro!" I yelled. I began running after her, but Zeniba stopped me. Her eyes showed no expression. She expressed no emotions towards what had just happened. My emotions were all over the place, while she controlled hers, like the amazing sorceress she is.<p>

"We have to go after her!" I shouted. Zeniba placed her hands on my shoulders. I was worried. Did she know something that I didn't? Zeniba was, after all, a true sorceress.

"Haku, she's gone." Zeniba whispered. By gone, I thought she meant out of the house and just outside. But by the look in her eyes, she meant Chihiro was _gone_. Chihiro wasn't in Swamp Bottom anymore.

"H-How is that even possible?" I asked her, "Chihiro hasn't been gone a few minutes!"

"You're right," Yubaba chimed in, "A _human_ can't move that fast." I saw Yubaba and Zeniba's look. They knew something. I didn't know if I was going to like hearing what they were about to say.

"Tell me." I ordered. They gave each other that look again.

"Now!" I yelled.

"With that attitude, I say we just let him find out himself." Yubaba said. I knew this reign of amiability wouldn't last.

"Yubaba," her sister said in a kind tone, "that wouldn't be fair. He loves her; we should at least tell him they can be together now." I blinked. Chihiro couldn't be with me because she was a human and I was a spirit. There was no possible way we could be together.

"What do you mean, we can be together now?" I asked harshly. Zeniba began laughing, as did Yubaba. Nothing that had happened in the past few minutes was funny at all to me.

"How clueless can you get?" Yubaba said, "How have you not sensed it yet?" I was completely and utterly puzzled.

"What the hell are you two talking about?" I yelled. Yubaba seemed to have had it with me.

"That dim-witted girl is a spirit!" She yelled. She walked away to the kitchen like she didn't say what she just said. I felt like running after Chihiro and telling her. But I didn't know where to look, and I still had unanswered questions. But not for long.

"Wha-What do you mean she's a spirit?" I asked.

"I would like an answer to that question as well," Akio said sternly. Yuuko was standing next to him, their arms linked together. Her facial expression showed fear and grief. But there was also a little hope I could see in her eyes. Almost like she knew this was a good thing, and to me it was.

Zeniba let us all to the kitchen and asked No-Face to make some tea. She sat at the head of the table, whereas everyone sat around the table.

"Listen," Zeniba said, "When Chihiro passed the test and returned here, the Guardian of the Afterlife (I forgot to put the man's name in there a few chapter back, sorry!) knew the only way for you two to truly be together was if she was a spirit." No-Face handed each of us a cup of tea. I was very stressful at that moment. A cup of tea would do me some good.

"So, when he sent her and Yuki back, he made it so she was a spirit, leaving her human self behind. But, something must have gone wrong, because Yuki is back and perfectly fine. When I heard Chihiro was back, I told Yuki to go and get those ingredients, remember?" Yuki and I nodded, and she continued. "Those ingredients will help her remember everything. I haven't had time to continue working, but if you get her back before she completely loses her memory, then-"

"What do you mean, completely lose her memory?" Akio said, "I thought she would only forget up to the point she is at." I looked at Zeniba.

"You can tell they have never been here before." I told her. She chuckled and kept going.

"See, this is only beginning," Zeniba explained, "I didn't think it would take that much of her memory. I figured she would only forget up to the moment when she came here, but unfortunately the Spirit World does things its own way."

"So how do we revive her memories, Mom?" Yuki asked.

"Oh, you leave that to me, sweetie," She assured her daughter, "the real problem here is how we are going to find Chihiro. With her memory this lost, she could have already forgotten where she is." This was not good. I couldn't lose Chihiro again after I just got her back. It seems that no matter what, I always lose her. But hope was still here, and that's all I needed.

"Then we better work fast."

* * *

><p>"Okay," Zeniba said, "This is how it's all going to work. I need to stay back here and perfect the potion. Kamajii, you know a great deal about medicines, right?"<p>

"I've worked in that boiler half my life," Kamajii answered, "There's not one medicine I don't know of."

"Good, and No-Face, you better stay, too. I could use all the help I can get."

"Ah, Ah." Was his response.

"What about the rest of us, Mom?" Yuki asked.

"We have to find Chihiro," I said, "the rest of us have to and search. Kage and Yuki, it may be best if you two went together." Yuki blushed, but nodded in agreement. Kage took her hand and they left the house. As he transformed into his dragon form, Yuki climbed onto his back and they ascended into the sky.

"Well, they wasted no time leaving." Lin pointed out.

"Obviously they need some catching up to do," Zeniba said, "ten years without your true love does something to you..." Zeniba caught herself right after she said that, not knowing her words were not only for Yuki and Kage.

"Um…Maybe the rest of you should go. Lin and Konno, go back to the bathhouse with Yubaba and Boh. Chihiro may have remembered how to get there, unless her memory is slipping faster than we think." Lin and Konno nodded as they followed Yubaba out of the small house.

"But I don't wanna go back to the bathhouse!" Boh whined.

"Sweetie, mommy needs your help to find Sen. Can you do that for me?" Yubaba may have been a cruel, lying, name-stealing witch, but she was a very good mother. Boh let out a sigh. "I guess so." He finally said. And the four of them all left for the bathhouse.

"Haku, it may better if Akio and Yuuko go with you to look for their daughter." I knew what Zeniba meant by this. She has been pressuring me to "get to know the family," saying it's the onely way for them to accept me. She was probably right. Yuuko would be easier to convince than Akio. It was going to be a while before he accepted me.

"Okay," I said, "let's go."

**And cut! What'd you guys think! A little short, but I wanted to save the important stuff, (like Akio and Haku's "talk," the potion, etc.) for later! But hope you all liked it! And sorry I'm a slow writer. :( it's a habit of mine. But if there's anything you have questions about, compliments, comments, ANYTHING! Just review. Thanks, I'll try extra hard to get the next one up soon! **

**Anabelle ;)**


	21. Chapter 21: Promises and Forgiveness

**Hi!...Don't be mad this one took awhile. I had too much going on. I apologize. And just a heads up, there's so apologies in this next chapter! Kind of why the chapter is called "Promises and FORGIVENESS" ehehehe. All we really see is Haku, Akio, and Yuuko. Not much goes on, just makes Haku feel a little worse about himself. (I'm a bad person for writing this) but, as I promised, this story is going to have a happy ending! Enjoy!**

**Libby16 - thanks for the review! And I couldn't wait to write that part where she became a spirit. :)**

**Vampireninja101 - I haven't mentioned their real names because it's from Haku's POV and he doesn't know their real names yet. Sorry if I didn't clarify that! But thanks for the review!**

**dark maiden21 - thanks! I'm gla you took time out to read ALL the chapters! That really makes me happy to know someone would take a lot of time out of their day just to read this :) thanks again!**

**LeeshyLoo - Here's what you asked for! Akio and Haku's talk! Not really big, but there are some tears. Thanks for the review!**

**Chapter 21: Promises and Forgiveness**

It had been hours since I left. Zeniba, Kamajii, and No-Face were back in Swamp Bottom trying to find a potion that will revive Chihiro's memories. How could she have forgotten everything so quickly? That means she doesn't remember telling me she loves me. Or the kiss. Or anything that had happened since she came.

And what if the potion didn't work? What would I do then? I wouldn't be able to live with myself if that happened. And Chihiro's parents? Akio would hate me more than he already does. There was too much at stake. I couldn't lose her…again.

"Do you see anything?" Zeniba found it a good idea if Akio and Yuuko came with me. I preferred to be alone, but it wasn't really my decision.

"Akio, be patient," Yuuko said, "we'll find her. And you know Haku can't talk when he's flying."

"He probably just doesn't want to say anything because he knows what's going on." That was the last straw. I sped up as fast as I could until we just barely hit the ground until I returned to my human form. Akio had insulted me for the last time.

"Listen to me, Akio!" I shouted, "I don't know what I did wrong, but I would never, ever do anything to hurt Chihiro! If you have some sort of problem with me, you can tell it to my face! But just remember one thing, if I knew something about Chihiro and where she was, you two would be the first to know!" I stormed off into the forest we landed in. I didn't want to see their faces. After everything I did to try and save Chihiro, he has the nerve to say those things about me. It was getting dark out, so I grabbed a few branches to start a fire. I began cooking some raw meat I brought along. We were going need all our strength in the morning.

A few minutes later, I heard Akio and Yuuko come over to where I set up camp. It wasn't much of a camp, though. There was a fire and the food I packed for the trip. Akio and Yuuko sat down next to fire to warm themselves while I tried picking up a signal of any spirit nearby. Nothing. This was a deserted forest, and there was no one around for miles.

"Look Haku," Akio started. I couldn't wait to hear what he was going to say. "I'm sorry. It's just…I don't like not being able to protect my daughter. Seeing her with you, well, brought out the defensive me. She almost twenty years old now…and I fear that she won't need me to help her anymore." I sighed and gave them each a piece of food.

"She loves you," I told him, "She loves you both very much. When you came here the first time, she gave up everything she had to save you two."

"I know she loves us, I just always want to be there to protect her." Akio started, "It must be a fatherly instinct to protect his daughter." I sat down next to him.

"She's not always going to need your help, though. And if she does, you'll be there to help her."

"Not anymore," Akio whispered. I was confused. Not anymore? "What do you mean, not anymore?" I asked. He said he wanted to be there to help Chihiro, to protect her. What made him suddenly change his mind?

"Well, for starters, she's a spirit. We can't live in the same world anymore. Yuuko and I can't be there to guide her down the right path." He paused for a moment before continuing. "But I can see it in her eyes how much she loves you. It's the same look I saw you give her when Chihiro woke up. I believe that you can keep her safe." I was close to tears. Was this an apology?

"I would protect her with my life," I said firmly. Akio was the one crying now. Yuuko hid herself, trying to be strong about everything. But after everything that had just happened, _I_ would be bursting into tears.

"Let's try to get some rest," I said, "And tomorrow…we will find your daughter. We leave at first light."

* * *

><p>"Chihiro?" I asked. "Chihiro is that-is that really you?" She walked straight up to me with no hesitation. Her chocolate brown eyes glistened in the night sky. Her brunette hair moved with the wind as her hands locked into mine.<p>

"Yes, and I'm here to stay." She moved in closer to me for a kiss. Was this really happening? Did I really find Chihiro?

"Haku!" I jolted up from my slumber. A dream. It was only a dream. But it felt so…real. I actually felt her hands intertwine with my own. I really heard her voice. How could it all be taken away from me within the blink of an eye?

"Haku," Akio said, "Are you alright?" I found it best not to tell him I had a dream about his daughter like that, so I informed him that everything was fine. Yuuko was finishing up her meal while I just waited for them to get ready.

"You're not going to eat anything?" Akio asked, taking a huge bite out of a bread roll I had packed.

"Spirits don't need food as often as humans do," I notified, "We could go weeks without a single bite and still be fine." When they were both finished, I transformed back into my dragon form and we flew away.

"Are you sure you can track her from here?" I nodded in response to Yuuko's question. It would be easier on the ground, but flying is faster.

We were flying for a while, and at midday I found something very peculiar. There was a small village up ahead. Maybe she went there. I felt the presence of about two dozen spirits. One of which had just become one.

"Are we landing?" Akio asked. I nodded in response as we drew closer to the ground. There weren't many people. A few houses were around, and closer to the middle was a town square. I saw many spirits running to one of the small houses.

"Excuse me, sir," I asked politely, "what is going on?"

"A new spirit just arrived!" He said and began running towards the house again. My eyes widened. Could it be? I left Akio and Yuuko where they were and followed the man. The instinctively followed close behind as I entered the house.

"Chihiro!" I yelled. There were many women of her age, but none that looked like her. Only one had a close resemblance to her, but I would know if it was my dear friend.

"Yes?" In the corner sat a young woman with long, black hair and blue eyes. She was holding a baby, a baby that was just born.

"I-I'm sorry," I said, "I was looking for someone. Your name is Chihiro?"

"Yes," the woman said, "I just had my baby now." She held up a baby girl. This was the new spirit. It wasn't Chihiro.

"I apologize," I said, making my way out the door, "She's a lovely girl. Very beautiful." The new mother chuckled.

"Thank you; I still don't know what to call her, though." The woman said and giggled. Naming a baby was hard. My parents went through a thousand names before choosing Kohaku. I vaguely remember either.

"It took my parents quite some time before they named me. She looks like a…Michiyo." I forgot to mention it was my mother's name, but she really looked like a Michiyo.

"That's a perfect name," the woman said, "I'm sorry, I do not know your name." I smiled and replied, "I'm Kohaku." She smiled and shook my hand.

"Thank you for your help, Kohaku." I nodded to her, and as quickly as I could, I left. I couldn't bear to stay there any longer. How could I have been such a fool? Chihiro has been a spirit for almost a day. A new spirit's sense wears off after a few hours. I just hoped she would be here. I stared at Akio and Yuuko. They were thinking the same thing. I couldn't allow myself to look at them for fear of being thought of as a failure. So I transformed into my dragon form, waited for them to climb on, and we left the village, and I never looked back.P

**Poor Haku; All he wants is for Chihiro to be safe. Where could she be? **


	22. Chapter 22: Where are you, Chihiro?

**Hello again, readers! I hope this was worth the wait, because I spent A LOT of time writing this! Um...the chapter title should tell you it all. Things start shaking up here in the Spirit World. :) **

**Vampireninja101 - Thanks for the review! I don;t know why, but my brain has a way of forgetting to put the lines where they have to be! In fact, just by writing this I remembered to put the lines in for this one! Thank you!**

**Libby16 - Thanks for the review, I'm glad you like it! And don't worry, we will see Chihiro very soon!**

**LeeshyLoo - Haha, I did enjoy writing the part where Haku and Akio argued! So dramatic! :) Thank you for all the reviews!**

**Animenia101 - Thanks for the review! Sorry if I update late, but I never get the time to work on this :( But I try my best! Thanks again!**

**Chapter 22: Where are you, Chihiro!**

"She's not in the bathhouse!" I screamed. Konno-sorry, my bad-Matsuo and I had arrived at the bathhouse just a while ago with Yubaba and Boh. While she took her son upstairs for his nap, Matsuo and I asked everyone who worked at the bathhouse if they had seen them.

"Miyu, have you seen Sen?" I asked my good friend.

"No, I haven't," Miyu said, "but did you hear? There is going to be a train coming in soon! A bunch of us are getting on. We have a few extra tickets if you two want to come!"

My dream was coming true. I could finally leave this place! For years I have waited for the day that I would get on that train and explore the world. Now, when I finally get the opportunity, I have to stay.

"Miyu," I began, "You know it has been my dream to get on that train and leave. But…I can't just leave Sen out there all alone. She needs me, and I sort of need her." Miyu understood and gave me a farewell hug. There was a good chance I would never see her, or any one of them, ever again.

"Come on Emi, we have to go and look harder!" Matsuo said, "this is the only place she remembers, she _has_ to be here!" I believed Matsuo was right. Where else could she have gone? She had already left Swamp Bottom. And she's probably forgotten about that place by now.

"Wait!" I stopped her. "What if Sen has already forgotten about this place? What if she doesn't remember even coming here?" That got Matsuo and me thinking.

"If what you're saying is true," Matsuo began, "that means she wouldn't be here!"

"We have to tell the others! It's been a day since she left. It took her only one night to forget the last nine years of her life! How much will one day take away from her?" I was frantically running around the entire bathhouse, asking questions and searching in the rooms. I had a hunch that she may have gone to our room by some miracle, but to my dismay, she was nowhere to be found.

"We have to tell Haku she's not here!" Matsuo said.

"Leave it to me," I said. I ran into my room and search in every drawer, closet, and everywhere in-between.

"Aha! Got it!" I shouted as I showed her my golden ring.

"Okay…" Matsuo said, "But what is it?"

"It's a communications ring! You just point the dial in the direction you want to see the person and…" As I explained, I moved the dial so it pointed at the east wall. "There we go. And then we just say the person's name. They can see and hear us and vice versa." I stood straight up as I shouted, "The Kohaku River!" Instantly, we both saw Haku and Sen's parents miserably walking. That wasn't a good sign.

"Haku!" I said. He looked around for where the voice was coming from until he looked at the hologram figure.

"Li-Lin? How can we see you?" He asked.

"I have a communications ring," I said, "but that's beside the point. I wanted to tell you that Sen isn't here!" His face looked even more miserable than before.

"That's the last thing I need to hear right now." Haku said. He obviously wasn't any closer to finder Sen than we are. _One stupid move, Sen, and you have us worried sick! _I thought to myself.

"I don't even want to know what happened," I said. He probably didn't even want to talk about it. "But Matsuo and I have a theory."

"Who's Matsuo?" Haku asked. He still didn't know that we discovered our true names. Matsuo stood next to me and waved to him.

"Konno?" He said.

"Just listen!" I demanded, "It has been about a day since she's been missing. It took her one night to forget the past nine years of her life; so we were thinking, what if she has already forgotten the time she first came to the Spirit World?" After I said that, Haku gave me a surprised look.

* * *

><p>"Kamajii, give me four of the red dragon scales." He hurriedly ran to the jar and gave me the scales. This potion was unlike any other I have made in the past. This required many different ingredients that had to precise. One wrong move and it all goes wrong.<p>

"Here you are," he said and I dropped them into the pot. No-Face was busy doing whatever he liked to do to help. And that was not OK with me.

"No-Face!" I shouted, "We need your help."

"Uh, uh." He showed a yellow flower. Ever since he stayed with me he loved the flowers in my garden. One day, he found a particular flower that he just adored. I put a spell on the flower so it would never die.

"No-Face, this is not the time to stare at your flower." I said, "Now please, do you want to help Chihiro or not?"

"Uh, uh," he said. I wish I could have understood him, but only spirits like him could understand the words they say.

"Come on!" I said once more. He placed his flower down gently and walked over to brewing pot.

"Thank you," I said, relieved, "Now, can you hand me the human earwax?" No-Face seemed uneasy when I asked him to do that, but this was all for Chihiro. We had to save her. Even I was skeptical about if this was going to work or not.

* * *

><p>"Wait," Haku said, "Just give me some time to think…" He stood there with his hand to his chin as he paced back and forth. Akio and Yuuko just stood behind him, giving each other doubtful looks.<p>

"Emi, wait, I-" Matsuo said.

"Hush, I'm thinking." I said a bit harshly. It was rude of me, but she knew that during a time like this, I needed to be left alone to think.

I could not think of anywhere she would go. She probably had forgotten most of her childhood by now. We were running out of time. When her memory completely disappears, so will she. At this rate, she will forget meeting Haku by nightfall.

"Wait," I said, "I think I remember something." Everyone was listening to me. I probably just saved Sen from more trouble by remembering this.

"Haku, remember the first time you and Sen met?" I asked him.

"Of course, we were standing on the bridge outside of the bathhouse when-"

"No, not then," I replied, "I mean _before_ then." Haku thought as hard as he could. He should have remembered the first time I brought it up.

"At my river!" Haku shouted.

"And the amazing Haku figures it out!" I sarcastically said. He ignored me and continued.

"She must have gone there if that's the last memory she has!"

"Wow, how do you think of that, Haku?" I mockingly replied.

"Lin, we don't have time for your sarcastic jokes!" He said, "I have to get to my river now. You two…go back to Zeniba's with Yubaba and help them with the potion. Akio, Yuuko, and I will go to my river." I nodded and turned off the communications ring. I placed it back inside my bag.

"Emi wait," she said. I paused. "Wouldn't it have been easier to use the ring to see where Sen is?" My eyes widened as my mouth dropped open.

"Matsuo, why didn't you tell me that earlier?" I asked very calmly. But inside, I was a complete mess.

"You told me you were thinking, and I know not to interrupt when you're thinking." I was now regretting telling her that.

"Come on, let's see if we can get a hold of her." I said, and I pulled out the ring once more.

* * *

><p>"Zeniba, what did you do!" Kamajii yelled. The pot was boiling hot and green liquid continuously came out from it. I just hoped it wouldn't ruin the potion.<p>

"I asked you for a frog's leg, not a cricket's! How did you not tell the difference?" I screamed at him.

"I've never used either! Yubaba has me using medicines good for spirits' skin!" There wasn't much we could do now. The pot was going to have to cool down by itself. The only thing I could try is an attempt to slow down the rate at which the goo was coming out.

"I'll try slowing down this, this goo. You try and find something that'll stop this!" We both got to work. I waved my arms over the pot and tried my best to slow it down, but it nothing happened.

"NO-FACE!" I yelled, "Get your ass over here!" He was back at looking at his flower. What was so special about that thing anyways? He walked towards me, keeping the flower in his grip. To my surprise, he was helping us. No-Face had been twirling that flower for almost nine years. Now, I understand why.

"Uh, uh." He took one petal off of the flower and dropped it into the pot. Almost a second later, everything stopped. The pot cooled down and the goo stopped coming out. Everything was calm once more.

"No-Face," I began in astonishment, "What did you do?"

"Uh, uh. Uh, uh, uh." He held up the flower. I noticed it was glowing like the sun. like it had come from the sun.

"Oh, I understand now," I told him. I owed him a big apology. He saved my house, us, and more importantly, Chihiro.

"Bu-But how?" Kamajii asked in bewilderment, "The sun- it never has done that before!" I smiled at him, and like I always do, I began laughing.

"Kamajii! By now you should know that the Spirit World works in mysterious ways! Aha!" Kamajii rolled his eyes at me as No-Face smiled.

"Now, I think we need the rest of those petals to finish up the potion." No-Face handed me the flower, and one by one, I dropped a flower petal, each containing rays from the sun, into the pot. Now, the only thing we needed was to find Chihiro.

* * *

><p>I arrived at my river and searched. I still didn't see her. Where could she have been? If she disappears, I lose her forever. And it will be all my fault.<p>

"Where are you, Chihiro!"

**Ooooh! Things are really shaking up here! Is Lin/Emi right? Would Chihiro go back to the Kohaku River, when the first time Chihiro went there she almost drowned? And will Lin/Emi and Konno/Matsuo see where Chihiro is? ANd a new chapter awaits next time I update! Please read and tell me what think! Questions, comments, compliments... compliments are very much appreciated :) Thanks!**

**Anabelle ;)**


	23. Chapter 23: Love Finds A Way

**Hi! I am so glad that i got this chapter up now! I was having trouble, but writers block be gone! Anyway, I don't want to spoil too much, so I'll only tell you that in the beginning, I brought up something from a chapter before, don't know if you all remember it, but hope you do! Another, some parts are sad, some parts are happy, some make you want to cry. But I really hope you enjoy it! I can't believe I only have maybe 2 or 3 chapters left! This has been so much fun wrtiting! Thank you all!**

**Vampireninja101 - I think I explained the part about the flower, right? Anyway, thanks for the review and I hope I clarified everything!**

**Libby16 - Yeah, I liked that part too. I wanted No-Face to have a really important role, and that was very important. Thanks for your reviews! :)**

**LeeshyLoo - Thanks for your reviews! I just want to say your question: the answer is yes! Thank you! :)**

**Anemenia101 - Thanks for reviews! I hope you don't cry in this one, but I almost did writing it. hehe :) thanks!**

**Chapter 23: True Love Finds A Way**

"Where are you, Chihiro?" I screamed. Somehow, I knew she was here. I could sense her. My river was very long, and most of it ran underground. The part Chihiro's parents and I were at was where I had met Chihiro again, four years ago.

"Wait," Yuuko said, "I-I remember this place. Akio, haven't we been here before?"

"I think so," he said hesitantly, "it looks familiar." I smiled. I knew this place. I knew when they came here. I knew why.

"You came here to go camping," I told them, "when Chihiro was fifteen years old. You remember this river because it is the same river you three spent two days in the forest, eating only what you could find. The same river, in which your daughter almost drowned in as a little girl."

"How do you know she almost drowned? That was years ago!" Akio said. I began to panic. What I said next might bring all that anger back.

"Um," I stuttered, "I…I just know, okay?" Akio was about to say something when we heard it. We all did.

"Kohaku!" I turned around. Three figures were running towards us. It was Zeniba, No-Face, and Kamajii. As they grew closer, I saw Zeniba holding a bottle filled with a green elixir. She had finished the potion.

"Zeniba! You did it!" I ran to her observed the bottle. It looked like it would work; I just hoped it did.

"How did you find us? Did Lin tell you we were here?" Zeniba looked puzzled.

"Lin? I haven't seen her, Konno, or my sister since they left my house." I grumbled. Lin never did as she was told. "As we were about to leave my house, I saw you and Chihiro's parents flying over my house. We just followed you." At least they followed us when they did. Without that elixir, Chihiro would disappear.

"Will that heal my daughter's memory?" Yuuko interrupted. Zeniba smiled and nodded. Gratification filled her eyes as she almost wept. But there was no time for crying. We had to find Chihiro before it was too late.

"Okay, if anyone finds anything or hears something, tell me." Zeniba smiled. She knew how much I desperately needed to find Chihiro. She knew how much I cared for her.

"And if we can't find her, then what?" Yuuko asked. I patted her shoulder.

"We will find her." I said. _Love always finds a way,_ I thought to myself.

"Alright, we'll split up," Zeniba said. She hand me the elixir and told No-Face to follow her. They both dived into my river, thinking she may be down there. I was hoping she wasn't. Akio and Yuuko went in the direction away from the apartments that stole most of my river, and Kamajii followed me. I believed Chihiro may have gone towards the apartments. There was a Spirit World gate there, the one that she entered when she was little. If that truly was the last memory she can perceive, then she may have gone to where it all started.

"Chihiro!" I shouted, "Chihiro, can you hear me!"

"She doesn't know you, remember?" Kamajii said. I gave him an angry look.

"At least I am doing something," I snapped, "At least I'm trying to find her."

"What do you think the rest of us are doing?" Kamajii replied, "We want to find her just as much as you do."

"I highly doubt that," I told him. No one wanted to find her more than I did. Not even Chihiro's parents.

"Just because you're in love with Chihiro doesn't mean you have to be the one to find her," he snapped, "You think this is your job, your mission…your destiny. But whatever happens, happens." I stopped him where he was.

"What do you mean by that?" I asked harshly. It was as if he were already giving up.

"I am saying that you're not going to be able to help Chihiro every time she is in danger," he began, "some things she will be able to handle herself, and some things she'll need others to guide her. But don't be mad when she doesn't want your help."

"I will _always_ be there to protect her," I shouted. Kamajii gave me a worried look.

"But what if she doesn't need _your_ help?" he asked me. my eyes widened. Not only did he surprise me, but the water in my river began splashing. And then I saw two hands thrusting themselves into the air.

* * *

><p><strong>(Different time period: A few minutes before Haku's POV ^)<strong>

"Lin, you got it?" Matsuo asked. She was always impatient.

"Yeah," I told her, "I just need to turn it that way, and…" As I pointed the dial towards the wall, I shouted, "Sen!"

Nothing. Nothing happened. Was it something I said? Was the ring broken? It couldn't have been, I just used it less than five minutes ago.

"What's wrong with it?" I shouted. I hit the ring and tried again.

"Sen!" Nothing. "Sen!" Nothing again. "SEN!"

"Emi!" I looked at Matsuo. "That's not her name, remember? It's the name Yubaba gave her when she worked here." She was right. I hated when other people were right. But what was Sen's real name? I've heard only once before, I believe. When Sen came back here again, I remember her parents saying her real name.

"Hachiro, Kichiro," I knew it ended with "chiro," so I was thinking of all the names that ended with that. "Shichiro, wait! It's Chihiro!" I pointed the dial once more and said, "Chihiro! Um, Chihiro…the human?" Just saying "Chihiro" wasn't enough. There had to have been something to separate her from every other Chihiro, and since I never knew her last name, "human" was all I could think of. Instantly, I saw a confused girl, wandering around.

"Sen! I mean, Chihiro!" I needed to get used to calling her that. She doesn't remember being Sen, and soon she may not remember being Chihiro.

"Wh-Who's there? I-I don't see anyone!" That was definitely Chihiro's voice.

"Chihiro! Over here!" She looked straight at me, her eyes filled with fear. Chihiro tried running away, but no matter how far she ran, she couldn't leave my sight.

"Don't bother running, Chihiro! Can't you just listen to me?"

"I don't even know who you are!" When she said that, it felt like a knife went through my heart. I knew she was losing her memory, but thinking of how she could forget me was unbearable.

"Chihiro…" I said, "You have to listen to me. You can trust me." she stared at me with her chocolate brown eyes. I needed her trust; if she could trust me, everything else will fall in place.

"Okay," she finally said, "I don't know who you are, but you obviously know me and you can help. So I trust you." It was music to my ears.

"Thank you," I said, "Now pay very close attention. What is the last thing you remember?" she seemed hesitant to answer, but I knew she had some memories left.

"I-I remember my parents and me walking. I wandered off and found this river, so I came back to it." I was right! She remembered up to the point that I knew she would. Now, all we needed was for Haku to find Chihiro.

"Okay, Chihiro, you have to listen very carefully. Soon, a man is going to come and help you remember everything else. All you have to do is wait there and don't get into any trouble."

"I think I can handle that," Chihiro said. I smiled. She may be a dopey little girl, but at times she surprises me with her courage. If only she didn't go looking for trouble, then I wouldn't be crying my eyes out, hoping that somehow she would be alright.

* * *

><p>"Chihiro!" I yelled. I knew that was her. Who else could it have been? The only person who remembers drowning in my river was Chihiro, and history is now repeating itself.<p>

"Haku, wait!" I didn't listen to Kamajii. He had said enough to me earlier. I didn't need his advice right now. I needed Chihiro.

I jumped into the river and swam to where she was. The arms had stopped moving. She was now underwater. If my river wasn't so deep, I would have been calmer about the situation. I took a deep breath and dived under. It was hard to seeing because it was already night. But small bubbles were rising from beneath. I swam and swam but she was too deep. It wasn't until I was almost out of breath that I finally caught up with her.

I brought her up to the surface and got out of the water as soon as I could. My river had done some terrible things, but drowning a person twice was a new one. I may be connected to it, but the river has a mind of its own sometimes.

"Chihiro!" I wrapped my hand around her wrist. She had a pulse, but it was very weak. She was barely breathing. I didn't know what to do.

"Kamajii! We need Zeniba!" I said. He looked at me, and then he eyed the bottle in my hand. I had forgotten that she had entrusted the potion with me.

"Will this bring her back?" I asked him.

"It will bring back her memories, but I am not so sure it will help her in this situation." I needed someone who could actually help. I needed her parents.

"Akio! Yuuko!" I yelled. I knew they would hear me. the whole Spirit World may have. In a time like this, I needed to be heard.

"Yes, I am sure Chihiro's parents will know what she needs," Kamajii said, "After all, they've known Chihiro her whole life."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" I asked him as I held my hand on her wrist. I didn't want her dying in front of me. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself.

"I'm just saying that in this situation Chihiro needs someone other than you right now." he said. Before I could respond, Akio and Yuuko came rushing towards us.

"Chihiro!" Yuuko screamed. She rushed to her daughter and fell to her knees.

"She isn't dead…is she?" Akio asked.

"No, she's just unconscious. She drowned in my river, and I need your help saving her." Yuuko wasted no time. She opened Chihiro's mouth wide open and breathed air. Then, she placed one hand over the other on her heart and began pushing. What was this?

"What is she doing?" I asked Akio.

"It's something humans do to save someone from choking, drowning, or anything that stops air from going to their lungs." Humans had such strange ways of saving people. In the Spirit World, we would just go to a witch or wizard and have them cast a spell.

What took a minute seemed like a century. But eventually, Chihiro began coughing out water. I held her head up so she could breathe better, and I knew she was going to be fine.

"Haku! The potion! She needs it now!" I listened to Kamajii and uncorked the bottle. I lifted her head up. Slowly, I poured the elixir into her mouth. I gently put the bottle in the grass as I waited for her to say something.

She opened her eyes and stared at me. I held her hand with mine and I stared into her beautiful eyes.

"Haku," she said, "If I tell you that I love you, promise me that I won't almost die…again." I chuckled. She always knew how to make me smile.

"Promise…"

**Awwww! So cute! I almost cried! Hope you all liked it! I couldn't wait to bring back Chihiro. Now, there is definitely more so don't worry! And what about that mystery POV? We will find out very soon! Please review! Doesn't mattern what it says, I just like feedback :)**

**Anabelle ;)**


	24. Chapter 24: New Beginnings

**Hi! I couldn't wait to put this up! And...we find out who is in the mystery POV! I'm sure most of you already know, but that's okay! :) And you may think it's they last chapter, but it's not! One more to go. And by what I have in mind, I may make a sequel to this. Tell me what you think of that!**

**Animenia101 - I cried writing that one! And don't worry, there is definitely more. :) thanks for your messages, and I will be sure to read your fanfic. **

**LeeshyLoo - Thanks! I'm glad you liked the ending. Hope you like this one too, but it leads to the next chapter. And the sequel idea might work for what I'm thinking of!**

**Libby16 - Thanks! I really hope you like this next one!**

**Vampireninja101 - Thanks for your reviews and messages! I didn't want to tell you if you were right about the POV, but you'll find out now!**

**Chapter 24: New Beginnings**

"Mother! Don't stop there! What happens next?" the children were always excited when we would tell them bedtime stories. This one in particular was my favorite.

"Alright, calm down," I told them, "This story is just about finished, and right when it's over it is bedtime. Understood?"

"Yes mommy," They replied, pouting. I had to be a good mother. The last time they stayed up passed their bedtime, they were whining all day and I couldn't even go to work. And the bathhouse is always busy.

"Now, where was I…"

* * *

><p>Pacing. I was outside Zeniba's house, pacing back and forth. After Chihiro regained her memories, she blacked out. Zeniba said it was a side effect, that she would wake up in a few minutes. I didn't want to wait a few minutes. I wanted to talk to her now. I would have if Zeniba didn't tell me to wait outside. I didn't want to start a fight with her, so I listened.<p>

"Haku!" I turned around to see Lin, Konno, and Yubaba running towards me. They must have heard.

"Is she alright?" Lin asked. I nodded, and tears began building as she embraced me. In all the years I've known Lin, she never once gave me a hug. But this was an emotional time. We almost lost Chihiro three times since she came back.

"At least it's all over now," I told them. Yubaba stepped forward. She seemed happy that Chihiro was alright. Yubaba wasn't one to care for anyone except her spoiled child.

"Let's go inside, I have something I need to share with you all." She told me.

"But, Zeniba told me to wait outside," I said, "She wanted to make sure Chihiro was okay."

"Oh, Zeniba has her ways of doing things and I have mine," she said, "And I say we are going inside." Arguing with Yubaba was like arguing with Lin: a waste of breath and time. I opened the door. Chihiro was lying in the bed she first lay in after we defeated the Dark Spirits.

"Zeniba," Yubaba said, "May I have a word?" It seemed important, so she left Chihiro's bedside and they both left the room. I wasn't one to eavesdrop on them. They'd know I was, anyway.

"When do you think she'll wake up?" Lin asked. Honestly, I didn't know. But based on Zeniba's extensive knowledge on things like this, I would say any moment.

"Very soon," I replied. She grinned. Everyone seemed happy to see Chihiro. I couldn't wait until she opened her eyes again and saw me. There were some things I needed to discuss with her privately.

The windows suddenly began shaking. Someone was here. I walked to door and as I opened it, Yuki gave me a big hug. Tonight was one of those nights where everyone was hugging everyone. Even when Kage came up to me we hugged. We were as close as brothers.

"We heard Chihiro came back!" Kage said, "How is she doing?"

"Better than before," I began, "Where did you two look?" I had an idea they didn't do much looking for her, but I didn't mind. They needed some time alone.

"We started by Kage's Fortress, but when we heard she was okay…we sort of took some to reminiscence some old memories and talk about our future." My eyes opened.

"That's wonderful!" I said. They deserved each other. Yuki had a problem accepting who she was and how Kage could be in love with her, but I know she wants to keep that in the past.

"Haku!" Lin screamed, "She's waking up!" I ran to the room without hesitation. I needed to hear her voice.

"Chihiro…" I held her hand as she sat up.

"Haku!" She screamed. I looked into her eyes and she looked back at mine. We were in love. No one could tell us otherwise. She looked around and saw everyone else.

"Mom! Dad!" They both came up and kissed her on the cheek.

"We were so worried about you, sweetie," Yuuko said. Akio was about to cry.

"I knew Haku would save me." She said, "I trust him with my life." Her trust meant everything to me. Without it, I would feel as if I failed her.

* * *

><p>I couldn't believe I was back. Everyone here cared so much for me. Seeing them again kept me fighting to stay strong. Seeing Haku again made me realize I couldn't live without him.<p>

"Lin!" I shouted. She came over and gave me a big hug. It was so nice seeing her again. she helped me so much the first time I came here. She's helped throughout everything else, too.

"Actually," She said, "It's Emi now." I gave her a puzzled look.

"Did you change your name or something?" But then I remembered that she had a connection with that name.

"You're such a dope!" She shouted, "It's my real name! I figured it out!" My eyes opened wide as I jumped out of the bed and hugged her again. Today was most definitely a day for hugging.

"I'm so happy for you! But, how did Yubaba take it whe she found out?" Seeing that she hasn't been turned into a pig, Yubaba was being somewhat nicer.

"She actually helped us give everyone else their names back," Lin said. I paused for a moment, and then burst into laughter.

"Come on, Lin! Or, I mean, Emi. This is Yubaba we're talking about." I couldn't control myself. Yubaba wasn't the nicest person you've ever met. Her giving back the names of those she stole hundreds, even thousands of years ago would be a miracle.

"It's true," Emi said, "Yubaba has completely changed." I looked at Yubaba who just stood in the corner. It was like she was ashamed of herself for being good.

"Is that true, Yubaba?" I asked, "You've really changed?" She gave me a cold look, but then she smiled at me.

"I think my reign of terror is over," she said. I smiled at her. She really has changed.

"Wasn't there something you wanted to say, Yubaba?" Haku asked. I looked at him. He seemed very curious as to what she will say, as was I.

"Oh yes," Yubaba said, "I have a big announcement. Since I no longer own any of my employees anymore, the bathhouse is going to need new ones. Since no one has dared to ask me for a job since, well…when Chihiro first came here, I think my time at the bathhouse is over."

"What?" We all said. Yubaba was leaving the bathhouse? She loves that place just as much as her own son! Why would she be so willing to give it up?

"What do you mean you're leaving the bathhouse? Where will you go? What about Boh? Who will run the place?" I frantically asked questions that desperately needed answers.

"She's going to live with me," Zeniba said. My eyes widened. The last time I was here, Yubaba and Zeniba hated each other. Now they were going to live together?

"We talked it over, and she thinks it's a great idea that the bathhouse goes to someone else who can really make it a better place than I ever did." Yubaba said.

"But who is going to run it?" I asked. The twin sisters looked at each other and smiled. I was scared to know the answer.

"Well," they both said in unison, "YOU!" My mouth dropped.

"Me?" I asked, "I-I don't know how to run a bathhouse! I could barely scrub the bathes. I barely made it out of that place alive! I can't do this alone!"

"Well who said you were alone?" Yubaba said, "We want the two of you to be partners in running the bathhouse." She was pointing at Haku and me. I looked at him and he looked at me. He was Yubaba's apprentice. He knows the bathhouse better than anyone I know. He would be perfect. We smiled and laughed. I knew that was what was supposed to happen.

"Well, partner," I said, slowly walking up to him, "Are you ready?"

"I...I think so," He said. I couldn't hold it in any longer. We were meant for each other. I didn't care who was in the room. I walked up to him and kissed him. It was even better than first, since we were interrupted by Yuki.

"Um," I heard in the background. It was my dad. I knew what he was going to say. I turned around to see my parents…smiling? Laughing? They came up to me and gave me a hug so tight I was about to suffocate.

"Wha-What's all this?" I asked, "I thought you hated the idea of me being with Haku."

"That was before," my mother said, "After spending some time with Haku alone, we realized how much he cares for you. He loves you." Tears were rolling down my cheeks. Everything I dreamed of was happening.

"And," my father began, walking up to Haku and placing a hand on his shoulder, "we want to give you our blessing." My dad told me once he would only give his blessing if he knew the person would love me and take care of me. This was a lot coming from him.

"Thank you, dad," I said, "For everything." He wiped away my tears and held up my chin so I could see his face. "Anything for my little girl."

It was about the time where things were happening for the better, but also for the worse. All of us, my parents, Zeniba and Yubaba, Emi and Matsuo (I later found out that was Konno's name), Yuki and Kage, Kamajii, and Haku and I, were standing at the gate that separated the Spirit and Human Worlds. My parents couldn't live here, I knew that too well. There was a good chance I would never see them again.

"Chihiro," my mother said, "If you ever visit our world again, we'll be living in the same old house for the rest of our lives." I nodded and couldn't help but embrace them one last time. They waved good-bye as they entered the tunnel, getting smaller and smaller from where we stood, until I could no longer see them.

I cried into Haku's shoulder, and he comforted me all the way until we reached the bathhouse. Zeniba and Yubaba went to get Boh from his nap. He didn't want to leave the bathhouse.

"NO, MOMMY! I LOVE THIS PLACE!" Boh screamed. He did that for a half hour until he finally gave in and went with his mother and aunt. I would miss him being here. Emi and Matsuo gave me a hug good-bye. Her dream was finally coming true. It turned out that Kamajii had two tickets saved up, and since he didn't want to leave the bathhouse, he gave them to Emi and Matsuo.

"Kamajii," Emi said, holding the tickets in her hand, "I-I don't know what to say…"

"Say that wherever you go, you'll come back one day." She gave the old spider a hug and nodded. She looked at me. This was good-bye. I didn't know how long she would be gone, but I knew she would return.

"I…I guess this is…good-bye." I said. She looked at me with depressed eyes.

"I'm going to miss you!"  
>"Me too!" We gave each other one last hug. She was my best friend here at the bathhouse. She helped me when no one else wanted to.<p>

I was losing everyone I cared about: My parents, Lin, Zeniba, Boh, even Yubaba. They were all leaving us. As I sat by the working soot in Kamajii's boiler room, Haku wrapped his arm around me. Kamajii was right behind him. Yuki and Kage came in and sat next to me.

"It's going to be okay," Yuki told me, "We'll help you get the bathhouse up and running again. We can stay here if you want." Kage looked at her, and she gave him a "We Have To Help Them Out" look.

"No, Yuki, you and Kage should go back to his fortress. I'd appreciate your help every once in a while, but you don't have to stay here." It would be nice staying here with just Haku. And that was one of the reasons why I didn't want them here.

Yuki stood up and said, "You two probably want some time alone. If you need us, you know where to look." She smiled at Kage and they left in hurry. I couldn't help but laugh. They looked like newlyweds.

"Kamajii, what about you?" I asked, "You don't need to stay here. You have your name back, right?" He looked at me and laughed. I was very confused, but this was Kamajii we were talking about.

"I gave up my name when this bathhouse first opened! I don't need it anymore, and I am not leaving the two of you when I'm the only employee you got." I smiled at him and laughed. He was the most loyal person I knew.

"Thank you Kamajii," I said. As I laid my head on Haku's shoulder, an old friend came in, squawking at me. Yu-Bird joined us, and we all sat close to each other. This was my family now.

******* 16 years later *******

"The end," I say. The kids look at me with shocked faces.

"It's over?" Hamano asks. I nod. The children begin crying, asking for more.

"I thought I said off to bed when the story was over, right?" They sigh and reply, "Yes." I smile.

"Knock, knock," Someone says. They enter and sit next to me, arms wrapped around my neck.

"So, what story was it tonight, honey?" He ask. I look up at him and smile.

"Our story," I tell him. He gives me a kiss, and it felt like the first one we shared.

"Ew, gross!" We stop and look at them. Having children was a curse and a blessing. Every time Haku and I showed affection towards each other they would say, "Ew, gross!"

"I actually agree with them this time," I sigh. My eldest daughter, Kaede, is always acting up. I don't know when it started, but she acts like she doesn't care about us.

"Alright kids, off to bed," Haku says, trying to get off the subject. No one moved. We look at Yuki who was telling the story with me. She got up and says, "Alright, my kids come with me. Hamano, Taro, let's go to bed." They sigh as their mother leads them out of the room.

"Thanks for the story, Aunt Chihiro!" Hamano says as she left. I wave good bye and look at my two youngest children.

"Okay, you heard your father," I tell them, "bedtime now." My youngest children kneel down by my feet and give me the puppy eyes.

"Please mommy! Just a few more minutes!" I was always sucker for the puppy eyes, but Haku wasn't.

"If you don't go to bed now, we'll just not be able to celebrate your birthdays in the morning." Both became scared that their birthdays would be missed if they didn't go to sleep, so they both jumped into their beds. They were twins, but Mai was older and she never let Haru forget it.

"At least their birthdays will be remembered," Kaede says and walks out of the room to hers. I try to leave her be by tucking in Mai as Haku tucks in Haru. Eventually, Mai will share a room with her older sister. I don't want to be the one telling Kaede that.

"Goodnight!" they reply. I give them each a kiss goodnight. As Haku and I leave the room, we turn off the lights. My family was special to me. If only Kaede saw how much I loved her.

**And there you have it! Liked it? Hated it? LOVED it? I hope you loved it. Sadly, though, there's only one chapter left! So much controversy in just one chapter! That will lead to the sequel, I'm hoping. So what's up with Kaede? Yes, she acts like a normal teenager, but how far will she go to prove her point? Untill next time! Tell me what you think on the sequel business! (Reviews are much appreciated) **

**Anabelle ;)**


	25. Chapter 25: 16 Years Later

**Hey! I'm sooooo depressed to say this, but this story has come to an end! I kind of wanted a long fanfic, but 25 chapter is good, right? Maybe there was too much conflict, but it showed how far Haku went to be with the one that he loved. I thought it was cute :) Anyway, I love love love love LOVE the ending to this! It would lead up to the sequel, if I make one. You can vote on the poll I have on my profile! Please do, it would show me how many of you really really like this one and how many really really hate it. And for the haters, go read someone else's story then. :) Please enjoy! You're in for a treat!**

**Libby16 - Thanks! I'm sure everyone expected it, but that's okay! Thank you very all your reviews! you've been so nice and helpful!**

**LeeshyLoo - Thank you for all your reviews! That was a smart idea about the poll! I put it on my profile, so please be sure to vote!**

**Chapter 25: 16 Years Later**

As Haku and I leave Mai and Haru's room, we turn out their lights. We walk down the hallway and he places his arm around my waist, picking me up and spinning me around. We look like newlyweds, even though we have been together for sixteen years.

"Haku!" I say, trying to keep my voice down. He is so romantic. I love him so much, and I don't regret ever coming back here again. It may have been by mistake, but I'm certain it was fate. I am a woman of faith. I believe things happened for a reason.

He sets me down and we stare at the door standing in front of us. It was Kaede's room. He would always tell me it was my turn to tell Kaede goodnight, but this time it actually was.

"Good luck," He tells me, giving me a kiss on the cheek. As he walks away, I knock on the door before entering. I don't know how many times she has gotten mad at me for not knocking before entering. I guess it was a teenage thing.

"Kaede?" I say, "I came to say goodnight." She was lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling. She didn't even look at me.

"Goodnight." She says. I wasn't done with her that easily. I close the door and sit next to her. She still doesn't want to look at me. I don't know what I did to deserve this kind of treatment from her.

"I thought you only came to say goodnight."

"You know very well that's not the only reason." I tell her. She gets up off her bed and walks around. I don't know when she started acting the way she does. It must be her coming of age.

"Fine," Kaede begins, "Tell me. Tell me what an ungrateful child I've been. I know you're thinking it." I stand up and walk towards her.

"I do not think that of you!" I shout, "I think you have a bad attitude. You treat us like we have no authority over you. We are the parents, you are the child." She turns away and looks out her window. What will it take to bring my little girl back?

"Kaede, we only want what's best for you. If you could only-"

"Mom, just give it a rest!" Now she looks at me. This was going to end in tears, and mostly likely it will be me. "You and I both know the only reason you are even here is because of my grandparents' stupid decision to eat the spirits' food. You just got a lucky that Dad fell in love with you."

"Excuse me?" I say in shock. I've known many women here in the Spirit World and all their children respect them. What was so different about Kaede? "Who said you could talk that way about your father and me? You're almost fifteen years old! It's time you start growing up. One day you'll understand what I did to be here with your father. You don't realize how much I love him. Just because I used to be human doesn't mean I didn't love him any less. It only made me love him more." I opened the door and slam it closed. I begin crying my eyes out. I didn't want Haku to see me this way, but he was standing right across from me with a cup in his hand.

"Chihiro…" I didn't want to see anyone now. I run to our room and get ready for bed. I needed to sleep things off. I hear the footsteps of Haku behind me, but I shut the door. I didn't want him to see me this way.

"Chihiro! Let me in!" I sit on my bed with my legs to my chest, hiding my face as the tears run down like rain falls from the sky. I couldn't even control my own daughter. What made her this way?

"Chihiro! I can help you!" It was no use. Haku was being the good husband he always has been. He wants to help me through every problem, and this one I really needed his help. I wave my hand and the door automatically opened. Being a spirit did have its perks.

"Chihiro," Haku says as he joins me, "Kaede is just going through a phase, that's all."

"Does this 'phase' involve her telling me what a horrible mother I am?"

"That is not true, you're a wonderful mother! Mai and Haru love you more than words can say, and Kaede as well. She just needs some time alone."

"But she hates me! I've tried so hard to be there for Kaede but she just shuns me! I don't know what I did to her to make her this way. This is not the person who used to call my name when she had nightmares, who would ask me to give her piggyback rides when she was little. My little girl is growing up, and too fast." Haku lifts my chin up and I stare into his emerald green eyes, the same eyes I fell in love with twenty-five years ago.

"Listen," he begins, "Raising teenagers isn't easy. When Mai and Haru get to that age, then they'll act the same way as Kaede is now. But for now we need to give Kaede her space." I nod and he embraces me. Haku always knew how to make me feel better.

"I think I'll feel better in the morning," I tell him and curl up underneath the sheets. Sleeping in an actual bed instead of a sleeping bag was much more comfortable. Especially when you're sharing it with the man of your dreams.

"Goodnight my love," he tells me, kissing me on the cheek. Even after sixteen years he's still the most romantic man I've ever known.

"Goodnight, Haku. I love you." And as the lights go out, I fall into a deep sleep, hoping the next day will be brighter than today.

*******16 Years Ago*******

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, you?"

"Just perfect." We stood up, looking at the sun rising from the ground. A new day comes and new opportunities arise with it.

"We'll show them next time," I said.

"But how are we going to make up for lost time?"

"It'll take a while, but there will be someone who will help us in ways no one else could. Just remember, Kawazoe, no one defeats Master Kazuma."

**Wow what an ending! I'm sure no one saw _that_ coming! I put this in here in case I did the sequel so you kind of get a feel of what it'll be about. I hope it's not too much info, but you don't know everything. I have some things in mind, but only if you guys like it. Thank you so much for all your reviews, messages, and just for reading it! I thank my friends who have read this, you guys are awesome and don't you forget it! You've all been really supportive and encouraging. Thank to all my readers and fans for taking the time to read this. You all rock! Thanks again!  
>Anabelle ;)<strong>

**P.S. Don't forget to vote in the poll!**


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